Crownless Kings and Lionhearts
by artcmisia
Summary: ['extended edition' of my previous Hobbit fic; rated for some language and fantasy violence] Longer than I have walked this earth, there has been a bitter rift drawn between our two peoples... tell me, Thorin son of Thráin, can we at last have peace?
1. Prologue

_**an** : hey guys, so here's the revised version of OB&A I was mentioning on tumblr, if anyone has seen it there (and if not, here's a shamelessly selfish promo! ;D). I'll try to update every other few days, if not five, just to let you know, the updates will be posted on **tumblr** ( **ctwritesnonsense on tumblr** , my writblog)... and before I let you read, I should let you know there'll be a bit more backbone to this version of the story, some from the book some from the extended edition of the films. soo with that, I will leave you to it; please keep hands and feet inside of the fic at all times, and do enjoy! :)_

 _{ **the Hobbit and everything that goes with it belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien; my story and character(s) belong to me** } _

* * *

Her slender fingers ran along the scabbard for the dual swords with a sense of reverence. She would have taken them if they didn't bring a stinging reminder of that day.

How could anyone forget, after all?  
 _  
Smoke chugged up into the darkened day, and even as the demolished civilization spilled out like an ant hill, she could spot the one dwarf that looked up at them on the risen incline with hope in his eyes_ …

Instead she chose the set of twin long knives hanging next to the dual swords, and she pulled them off the wall to fasten them at her back with her arrow-filled quiver.  
 _  
I must do this, if not for my father… then for them_ , she thought.

She located a set of twelve throwing knives and admired their sleek curved blades that left little room for the wooden handles attached, even if for a moment, before placing them in her quiver along with the blue-feathered arrows that seemed to stand out amidst her otherwise olive-green and brown wardrobe.

Finding she remained undetected, to which she thanked the stars, she proceeded to flee the lower echelons in search of the cellars a level below; she didn't stop running until she had let her weight drag her down below the cellar's trap door into the small stream that ran beneath the kingdom's halls.

The cold water stung at her skin, and she held her breath as long as she could, until she was past the drawbridge and it was further down the river when she emerged free. She emerged from the waters in the pelt of a gray wolf, and looked back at the way she had come after shaking her fur of residual river water through a pair of stormy eyes.

She silently bid farewell to the temporary home she had made of the Woodland Realm before turning about to lope away and on in the direction of southwest.

 **|} x {|**

It had only taken a day's trek for her to come upon the battlefield.

Granted it would be nearly impossible for any elf to not sense the tension that thoroughly permeated the air of battle, to hear the cries of exertion and those being slain as they waged on, to smell the stench that consisted of blood sweat and death as it drenched the land that had once been green and thriving now soiled.

It was any wonder this battle would later be known to all, from dwarves to men alike, as the Battle of Azanulbizar.

The unfortunate orc gave a vain gurgle of anguish before falling at the prince's feet, its stomach stabbed clean through only to spill its black blood onto the already-ruined land.

Chest heaving slightly with the minute respite he took, the prince began to wonder just how long this battle would last. Already five –no, six, he had to remind himself—years had passed in this blasted campaign to reclaim their ancestral home, and in the process they had lost more lives than he cared to admit. It seemed only the maker knew just how many orcs they would have to defeat before actually gaining victory.

A guttural roar sounded from an orc that came at him from the right, yanking him from his thoughts and back to the brutal, grim reality he stood in.

The dwarf prince twisted to meet his next foe's reckless lunge only to freeze in place as an arrow's sharp head shot right through the beast's jugular from behind. He found the strength to move as the orc fell before him, his eyes looking past the clashing bodies of orcs and dwarves alike to see something he would never have expected to see in all his life.

A willowy elf clad in light armor –it looked like leather from where he stood, which was at least forty yards away— stood there with their bow drawn; the elf's mane of brown hair had been drawn up into a braided plait, and it seemed they were fair-faced beneath the dirt and blood, as was the way all elves looked to his knowledge.

The dwarf held stares with the lone elf, finding he had never seen the shade of blue that was in the elf's eyes –no this was not an ellon, he deemed, this was an elleth as plain as can be—as it looked like the shade of pale blue one would see at dawn's rising… Beneath the armor and weapons she would no doubt be a beauty to behold.

The elleth lowered her bow as a silent gesture that she did not see him as her enemy, and the longer their stares held, there was a light in her pale eyes that made him believe she knew him from another time.

But _where_ , he wondered?

A snarl sounded behind her as an orc rushed the assumedly-distracted female, causing their stare-down to meet its end.

The brunette elf met the orc's charge as she caught its distorted face with the curve of her bow, a solid _'whack'_ adding to the cacophony of battle around her, as the orc drew away long enough for her to return the bow to her quiver in exchange for her knives; black blood flew like a geyser from the orc's severed neck as the long knife's curved blade drew back from her latest kill, the beast's head sent flying as the remainder of the orc fell at her feet on its knees.

She looked over her shoulder at the dwarf prince who had seen her cut down the orc within less than two minutes, blue holding blue, and the right corner of her lips quirked up in a measure of pride. Like the swiftness of a deer she returned her attention to the battle, the elvish blades on hand singing as they hacked and sliced as many orcs she could reach, leaving both gutted and beheaded orcs in her wake.

After hours and many now-dead orcs had passed, the battle was at last over.

The she-elf stabbed her knife's blade into the ruined earth of Moria's eastern gate and looked about as she stretched her tired muscles that begged for rest, mentally tallying the dead that consisted of both dwarves and orcs. Her heart sank with pity towards those who remained standing as she acknowledged that the count had been high, and she wiped dirt and blood from her nose and cheeks, sniffing. She surveyed the bodies again and closed her eyes for a moment to murmur a prayer of lament for the fallen.

"Oi, you."

Her eyes opened and she turned to look at the prince whose stare she had held in battle, looking on a dark-haired dwarf clad in scuffed and chipped armor who looked as tired and dirty as she; beneath his furrowed brow set into a mistrusting scowl, though, she met a pair of blue eyes that looked a combination of storms and clear skies.

Later in life she would come to love that color, but that is for another tale.

The elleth nodded to him, "My condolences, for your losses." She said, her voice clear and polite; he wagered that past the formalities she was overly-confident in who and what she was, as all elves were.

If he was surprised she offered her condolences towards his fallen kin instead of snide words, the dwarf prince did not show it in his rugged features. "Why are you here? We did not send for aid… least of all from your kind." He demanded gruffly, cocking a dark brow.

"I understand that, for that is why I am the only elf you see before you." She ignored his snide remark, straightening slightly the more their stares held. "I have come on the behalf of old alliances, old alliances that have been strained for the last few millennia, between our two peoples." She stated evenly.

Those old alliances were all-but dead, he thought to return; instead he kept his brow lifted, and folded his arms at his chest. "What is your interest in reviving an old alliance, I wonder?" He asked, attempting to keep a tone of disinterest though his voice betrayed him, as a curious edge entered his question.

 _This must be the one_ , she thought; this was the prince she had seen that day that was, for all intents and purposes, a dark stain in her memory. "I am Eäriel, daughter of Húldaer from the Woodland Realm, and I have come to offer my help to you during this campaign, Thorin son of Thráin." She replied.

"Your help is no longer needed, I am afraid, as the campaign is now over…" The prince began to declare.

"I ask you one thing, master dwarf… Our two peoples have created a bitter rift where there was once friendship and alliance, so I am asking if we can at last have peace." Eäriel interrupted patiently, shifting her weight from one boot to the other as she watched a million emotions flit in his blue stare, though the one emotion that stood out seemed to be thoughtfulness.

Thorin pondered on her words for what felt ages, but even as their stares held, he acknowledged that she was indeed one tenacious elf.

 **|} x {| Several Decades Later |} x {|**

Embers danced, vain and sluggish, as they gnawed and consumed the broken logs that had been fed to them.

Men talked and laughed now and then in the otherwise-quiet common room of the inn, seeming to be passersby much like she.

Taking a sip of mead from her pint as her eyes remained fast to the orange and red flames in the fireplace's hearth, the hooded female returned her mug to the tabletop and sat back in her padded seat, crossing her legs under the table. Once in a while the quieter patrons of the Prancing Pony looked over their shoulder at her as she sat otherwise-silent in her corner, and while she was not deaf or blind to the atmosphere around her, she ignored their curious glances.

Lest it involved her in some way shape or form, she didn't care what they did or said.

To say she saw him before sensing him would be rather far-fetched, as it seemed within a moment she sensed his familiar presence enter the pub. She was too familiar with his presence to be surprised, as she had been friends with him as far back as she could remember, and she watched the gray-clad (and gray-bearded) man seat himself in the chair across from her. A warm smile tugged at her lips as she sipped her mead again and watched him order the same drink she had ordered from one of the passerby tavern girls, "you're punctually late." She greeted him.

The elderly man returned the smile, his metallic blue eyes twinkling knowingly beneath his rather bushy gray brows. "I did not come by the faster route as you did." He replied in the same calm tone.

She sat back in her seat and arched a brow, her pale blue eyes mildly bored and curious in the same instance as the girl returned with his pint and shortly left. "I never travel the main roads, you know that. What is it you want me to do this time?" Within the last span of years she had come and gone throughout the western region of Eriador running errands for him when he required her to play messenger bird, keeping herself busy with ' _menial and mildly mundane_ ' tasks, as she had once told him after a trek past the snow-covered Caradhras.

She just hoped he wasn't going to have her travel far, not again; going south wandered too close to territories she didn't wish to see just yet.

"I am glad you've asked, my dear. And don't fret, this time you will not go south. I've actually got an interesting proposition for you; it is a task only suited for one like yourself, so don't bother trying to worm your way out of it." The old man sat back slightly in his chair to look on her elatedly.

Beneath her hood, her right brow gave a twitch, and she silently cursed his wise stare that she knew saw each and everything even though she was no different, her lips forming into a slight pout. "I am listening." She grumbled.

* * *

 _ **an** : sooo I hope this was an interesting prologue, hope you guys liked it. again, I'll post updates on **tumblr** , and with that feel free to tell me if this is better than the previous version or if it stunk, so until next update, lates! :)_


	2. And So It Begins

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* * *

So much for a quiet evening at home!

The hobbit could only fathom that his day, which had begun rather awkwardly with that visit from the gray-clad Gandalf who had shown up at his gate door earlier on, had gone from odd to _extremely_ odd by this evening.

Of course the fact that two dwarves now stood in his home talking animatedly between each other and rifling through his pantry's contents –Balin the white-haired dwarf and Dwalin the tattooed dwarf, he had to recall—was just another element to add to his truly odd day's events.

And for the third time this evening, his doorbell rang again, pulling the confused halfling from his thoughts rather brusquely. Wryly wondering if this night would ever end, he left the doorway of his pantry to answer the door, pulling it open to have – _how lucky he was_ —two more dwarves standing on his doorstep.

These two looked to be moreso like brothers than the other two already in his home, and were younger by a good amount of years, as well; for the brief moment that they surveyed him, the hobbit felt rather conscious of the fact that he still wore his patched red sleeping robe.

The blonde dwarf spoke first, breaking the moment of awkwardness, "Fili!" He said.

"And Kili!" The dark-haired dwarf chimed, before both brothers bowed politely and said in chorus, " **at your service**!" Both dwarves straightened with matching smiles on their scruffy faces, and the hobbit had a mild sensation that they could (and would) have brought mischief when they were children.

"You must be Mr. Boggins!" Kili said cheerily, acknowledging the mild twitch of the hobbit's brow at his mispronunciation.

Panic started to race through him, and he spoke as he tried to close the door on the two new dwarves ( _what on earth kind of company was this_ , he thought), "Nope, can't come in; you've got the wrong house!" Only to be stopped by the dark-haired dwarf; he was momentarily confused if this was Fili or Kili…

"Has it been cancelled?" Kili asked alertly, a frown beginning to draw his young face down.

Fili piped up with an inquisitive look, "Noone told us…"

"No, nothing's been cancelled!" Bilbo Baggins shook his head, still at a loss as to why there were now four dwarves in his house.

A wide smile lit up Kili's face, "that's a relief!" He said as he pushed his way into the foyer past the hobbit.

Fili gave a bob of his head to their host as if apologizing for his brother's brashness, shouldering his dual swords from his shoulders to then toss them to the hobbit, saying, "Careful with these, I just had them sharpened!"

Kili was surveying the wide halls of the home as his brother was taking his knives from his person to give to the hobbit. "It's nice, this place; did you do it yourself?" He asked lightly, turning to scrape the mud off the soles of his boots on a nearby chest's squared edge.

"No, it's been in the family for years… That's my mother's glory box, could you please not do that?" Bilbo called, daring not move too fast, as he still held the menagerie of knives in his arms.

Dwalin emerged from the pantry area and slung an arm around the dark-haired dwarf's shoulders, "Fili, Kili, come on give us a hand!" He said.

"Mister Dwalin!" Kili grinned happily, seeming as if in awe for a moment as he hadn't seen the tattooed warrior in a while, being ushered to help Balin with moving things.

Fili shortly followed his brother and the older dwarf, leaving a thoroughly confused and knife-holding Bilbo in the foyer as he heard Balin say they would never fit everyone in the dining room.

"H-hang on, _what!_ How many more of you are there?" Bilbo squeaked, turning in the direction of the dining room, only to hear the doorbell ring a fourth time. He groaned and then dropped the swords and knives, not minding the collective clattering of steel on the floor, as he yelled at the foyer, "there's nobody home!" Whoever had chosen to play a game with him was going to get a piece of his mind, as he strode to answer the bloody door. "Go away and _bother_ somebody else; there's far too many dwarves in my dining room as is! I-if this is some _clothead's_ idea of a joke…" He laughed a little at the joke, and briefly wondered if he was beginning to lose his sanity in less than two hours' time, stopping short of opening the door, "It is in _highly_ _poor_ **_taste_** _!_ " He proceeded to yank the door open wide.

Instead of another dwarf or dwarves, however, there was a woman on his doorstep; Bilbo blinked once at the abrupt change in guest, first of all noting the woman was rather tall for a human or hobbit, secondly noticing just how fair-faced and beautiful the woman was.

Scarcely had he come across the ' _Fair Folk'_ , so to have one standing on his doorstep took his mind for a spin.

"Eäriel the Wanderer, at your service!" The brunette elf introduced with a polite smile and slight bow, straightening to add meekly, "please forgive me for being late, Master Baggins, I have not visited the Shire in so long that I got a bit lost."

"Ah-um, it's quite alright indeed! Please come in, my lady!" Bilbo stammered out, his cheeks coloring in embarrassment and awe at actually meeting an elleth as lovely as she, shuffling aside as she stepped into his foyer.

Eäriel chuckled a little and slightly bobbed her head in thanks, being mindful of his chandelier that hovered a bit too close to her head, shrugging off her green cloak. "Thank the stars for that mark on your door, elsewise I would've still been out there in the night!" She said as she removed her quiver and knives from their place at her back, hanging the cloak on his nearby coat rack and hanging her quiver and knives' straps on the same hook.

A thought struck the hobbit and he glanced at the door, "odd, I don't remember there being a mark on the door… Was only painted nearly a week ago…" He muttered with a scritch of his head of curly brown locks.

"Lass!" Balin's voice came from the other end of the foyer where the dining room led to, making both elf and halfling look to see the four dwarves had emerged when hearing her enter the house. The wise dwarf smiled at the bright twinkle in the she-elf's blue eyes as she recognized them immediately.

" **Eäriel**!" Fili and Kili exclaimed in chorus as they rushed her only to be met with a tight embrace from the she-elf as they eagerly returned the embrace.

Eäriel laughed at being received so warmly by her friends, letting the princes down to the floor, grinning from ear to ear at the quartet. "Evening, boys!" She greeted.

"We didn't expect you'd join us, lass!" Dwalin said with a small smirk intended towards seeing the younger dwarves so happy to be reunited with the elleth.

"I could hear the ruckus you lot were making from as far as Bree, Dwalin." Eäriel smirked back; an exchange of smirks in greeting was enough to say she and the tattooed dwarf had come to an understanding in years past.

"Always assuming the worst of us, I'm hurt, Eäri!" Kili pouted up at her.

"I visited you two enough times, and your dear mum, to expect the worst!" Eäriel remarked with a sisterly tousle of his dark locks, stepping away to see if she could be of help to Dwalin and Balin.

"We're not dwarflings anymore…" Fili chimed in with his brother as they followed her.

"Oh aye, elsewise you could still charm me into siding with you two like on that instance with the chickens…" The elleth rolled her eyes with a fond smile extended to the princes.

"I told you that wasn't gonna work, Fee!" The younger dwarf jabbed his brother on habit.

"It was your idea in the first place, Kee!" The older dwarf returned the jab with a slightly hurt look on his bearded face.

"The point is that your mum had your hides for it, and your uncle was worse about the consequences." The elleth reasoned as she carried a chair to place it on the left side of the long table, imagining the brothers had flinched at the memory (to which they did when she wasn't looking).

Once again Bilbo was left in the foyer, both baffled and rather entranced with the new face to his unofficial guest list, at a loss as to how a she-elf could have struck a friendship with dwarves of all creatures; he jumped in place as the doorbell rang a fifth time, and groaned under his breath as he moved to answer it, only to jump back nearly a foot as a pile of dwarves fell over onto his threshold. Blinking once and then twice as he counted there were eight groaning and annoyed dwarves on his floor, he looked past them at the gray-clad man who had most likely shoved them in, the former looking in on the remaining party members and then extending a small smile of greeting to the baffled hobbit.

"Gandalf." Bilbo said in exasperation with a tired look on his face.

 **|} x {|**

Before the poor halfling knew just who was doing what and putting what where, there was a total of twelve dwarves bustling about his house, frequenting between the pantry and his dining room where the noise was most congestive.

Bilbo only looked in once on his pantry, thinking there was some food or drink the dwarves had missed, only to see crumbs and what appeared to be spoiled food had been left. He exhaled wearily and deemed that his life must be over, that there couldn't be another thing to enter his home elsewise the whole place would implode.

Looking over at their host who had now taken to trying to tell the dwarves to ' _put this or that back where you found it_ ' as they moved past and around him to congregate in his dining room, the elleth smiled a little in a measure of guilt from her place leaning against the doorway of said room, slightly shaking her head.

Locating the second taller member of the party, the wizard followed her stare and chuckled slightly. "It seems our host is rather overwhelmed, isn't he?" He asked as he looked on the female.

She nodded slightly, taking a sip from the mug of ale she had been given by the princes minutes ago, "the preparations have been made ready for tomorrow, I saw to them this afternoon before coming here." She said.

"Good, good; your silver tongue has not lost its edge yet, my dear." Gandalf smiled at the elleth, looking away as he took a headcount of the dwarves still bustling about, counting them off. "Fili, Kili… Oín, Glóin… Dwalin, Balin… Bifur, Bofur, Bombur… Dori, Nori, and Ori…!" He trailed off on the last and youngest dwarf's name as the halfling had chosen at that moment to retrieve a small basket of red tomatoes from the dwarf, counting again on his fingers and frowning slightly as he found their numbers were not complete. "We're short one dwarf, I'm afraid…" He mused.

"He is late, that's all, he traveled north to a meeting of our kin; he will come." Dwalin informed the wizard and elf as he passed by, taking a swig from his mug.

Eäriel nodded slightly and her lips quirked up in a fond smile as Dori returned to give the small glass of red wine to the wizard, watching the dwarf walk away and she looked at her friend, "no doubt he got lost again…" If he wasn't so bullheaded she would have drawn a map for him or something… but alas, no.

"Eäri, come on," Kili called from the dining room, making both wizard and elf perk up.

Gandalf smiled knowingly at her sheepish look and he patted her back as she turned to join the dwarves for dinner, watching her nearly brighten up being among her friends again, and his smile remained. Between running errands for him within the last thirty or so years, she had constantly frequented the mountains to visit the dwarves she had struck a rather odd alliance with, though the more he looked he recalled she had taken a liking to the young princes she now sat with.

Eäriel laughed slightly as Fili was busy handing out mugs of ale to the dwarves around the table, who happily accepted the drinks offered, before he plonked down in his chair at her right as she was seated between the brothers and she took a swig of her own ale. It felt like centuries since she had felt such warmth as she felt now with the dwarves, and she vainly wanted this to last for another century, as the last warm memory she had might as well have been a whisper of a dream… She was pulled from her thoughts as a loud and simultaneous belching chain came from the twelve dwarves who had all guzzled their ale in overall-quietness moments prior, laughing loudly as the one belcher that stood out from the rest was shy Ori, and she had to laugh with them at the oddity.

As dinner had begun to wind down, the majority of the dwarves vacated the dining room in exchange for refilling their mugs or chatting amongst each other in various niches of the warm house.

Skirting her way out of the small kitchen after refilling her mug, Eäriel blinked when hearing the evident frustration in Bilbo's voice as he had shot after Nori –who was about to wipe his bearded face with a small doily—into the kitchen she had just left. She slightly shook her head and slipped out into the hall to join Kili.  
 _  
Poor lad_ , she thought, _doesn't know what Gandalf has in store for him_ … The elleth exhaled and took another sip of ale.

Kili looked up at the she-elf standing near him at seeing her pensive look, raising a dark brow. "You're doing it again." He said, distinctly seeing her pointed ears twitch from amidst the locks of brown she had partially braided back.

"Hm?" Eäriel caught his observant expression which made her mildly confused look soften into a gentle half-smile, "what do you mean?" She asked dubiously.

"Thinking too much; you sigh a lot and have that look in your eyes." Kili answered matter-of-factly, catching the beginnings of a pout on her fair face and he smirked cheekily at finding he didn't imagine it.

Eäriel knew she couldn't dismiss him as she could once do when he was a dwarfling, he was a realized prince now she had to remember, and so she exhaled in defeat. "If you must know, I was wondering just when it was that you and your brother had gotten to be so strong. You're not the dwarflings that would try to braid my hair as you were before, Kili." She tilted her head slightly with a wry smile tugging at her lips.

It seemed just yesterday she were meeting the then-dwarfling princes, and now here they were, strong and groomed to follow their uncle into whatever would come of their impending journey.

Kili's ears partially hidden by his dark hair turned red in a measure of humbleness, but his smile turned into a light grin that fell on his stubble-ridden face. "Pretty sure I'd be better at it now, Eäri." He shrugged, before he recalled something, and his face lit up like a lantern, "oh right, almost forgot!" He then trotted away from their spot in the hall to where he left his things, causing her to raise both brows in slight confusion, and he returned shortly with something hidden behind his back. "Right, then, close your eyes." He looked up at her with a cheery smile on his face.

Eäriel slightly frowned, knowing that cheery smile of his too well by now. "Fine, fine…" She complied and closed her eyes, beginning to wonder what he was playing at, when feeling his stubbier fingers gently lift her free hand and extend it before depositing something wrapped in cloth into her open hand. She opened her eyes and looked down at the navy-colored parcel and set her mug down for a moment to unwrap it, finding much to her surprise, the small knife he had given her. It didn't look like it would be noticeable when concealed, and she took note of the brown color of the wooden handle along with the geometric design etched into the handle, signifying its make was dwarvish at best. "It's lovely, Kili…" She smiled slowly at her gift before looking at the young dwarf and adding, "thank you."

"Don't thank me, thank my mum; she said she wanted to give it to you the last time you were in Ered Luin, but she didn't get to because you left so soon." Kili shrugged, a thoughtful smile on his face at the mention of his mother, also looking at the concealable knife she held in hand.

Eäriel chuckled softly and shrugged as well, rewrapping the knife and reminding herself to put it in a place where she would find it again, "I will have to thank her, when I see her again." _Bless her heart_ , she thought; along with the odd alliance she had made with the dwarves of Erebor, she had made a fast friend in the Lady Dis, who had the compassion and warmth that her older brother kept hidden behind his defensive walls…

"…I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" Ori's meek voice asked of their host who had been venting to the wizard nearby, making both elf and dwarf perk up.

Fili passed by him and said, "here y'go, Ori, hand it to me." He took the plate from his hands and nonchalantly tossed it down the hall, not minding Bilbo's blanched expression that seemed for naught as Kili caught the plate with ease and chucked it into the kitchen for Bifur to catch it over his shoulder.

Eäriel smirked at the boys as they proceeded to chuck one piece of dishware after the other in Kili's direction only for the items to end up in Bifur's care, and she looked at the dining room when hearing the dwarves still seated began pounding their fists on the table and scraped their silverware together to create a rhythmic beat that was sweet-sounding to her ears, sipping her ale. _Oh gods here we go_ , she thought, her smirk threatening to stretch into a smile.

"C-can you not do that, you'll blunt them!" Bilbo protested to the dwarves scraping the silverware together.

Bofur sang cheerily, "ooh, d'ya hear that lads! He says we'll blunt the knives!" The dwarves continued stomping their feet against the floor to cause the rhythm to escalate.

" _Blunt the knives, bend the forks!_ " Kili started the song with a cheery grin on his face as he continued chucking dishes into the kitchen.

Fili quickly picked up after him, " _Smash the bottles and burn the corks!_ " It wasn't long before the remaining ten dwarves chimed with him as he continued, " _chip the glasses and crack the plates…_ _ **that's what Bilbo Baggins hates**_ _!_ "

Tapping her own foot to the beat as the song continued, Eäriel grinned at the merriment the dwarves caused and she laughed as she was pulled into a small jig by Fili, both elleth and prince dancing about in a circular manner as the others continued singing and she nearly forgot the probably distraught look on Bilbo's face.

" ** _That's what Bilbo Baggins hates_** _!_ " The dwarves plus Eäriel crowed the last line of the song before breaking into laughs again, moving aside for the irritable and huffing hobbit as he marched himself into the kitchen to see all of his dishes were stacked and cleaned in a neat pile.

Eäriel released Fili's hand with a warm smile and bobbed her head to him respectfully as Fili followed suit, and her smile fell an inch as her sharp ears heard something his did not; she quickly lifted her head to look in the direction of the front door, making both brothers near her sport a mutual look of confusion, before three hard knocks sounded and caused the laughter to die down instantly as the other dwarves seemed to recognize the same conclusion the lone elf had come to.

Gandalf lowered his pipe and looked from the confused Bilbo to the expectant dwarves to the smile on Eäriel's face, and he did not miss the she-elf's brightened pale blue eyes, as he said quietly, "he is here."

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 _ **an** : huh seems I'm still good at cliffhangers... anywho, the next installment is coming up soon, so fret not; regular updates will be posted on **tumblr**! feel free to review and such, and thank you so much for the two favs and follows, everyone :)_


	3. In the Darkness a Torch We Hold

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* * *

The dwarves, elf and wizard filed out of the hall and dining room to congregate in the foyer, leaving the hobbit to be the one to answer the door; it was his home, after all, and it was only fitting he answer it.

Gathering his nerves about him, as he had wondered just who this was to cause the merry and raucous dwarves in his home to sober up so quickly, Bilbo turned the handle to open the door and reveal another dwarf that stood on his doorstep. Though it didn't take him long to sense the authority and rather regal way this newest dwarf carried himself with.

The dark-haired dwarf looked in on the foyer's occupants until he found the gray-clad wizard, and he said in his low-timbre voice, "Gandalf." Entering the foyer, he continued, "I thought you said this place was easy to find; lost my way here, _twice!_ " His remark was met with a few chuckles from some of the dwarves and a knowing smirk from the elleth. "I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." He finished as he unbuckled his dark cloak from its place on his shoulders.

Still rather miffed with the evening's events, Bilbo pointed out with a huff, "What mark, there's _no_ _mark_ on that door as it was painted just _a_ _week_ _ago!"_ It didn't matter, for that moment, that he had earned a raised brow from the newest dwarf.

"There is indeed a mark, as I put it there myself!" Gandalf piped up as he intervened, causing the hobbit to glare witheringly at him and grumble under his breath; he put on a polite smile as he gestured away from himself to the new dwarf, "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce you to the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Folding his arms at his chest with a bemused look on his rugged face, the dwarf turned to him, "so, _this_ is the hobbit." Said smaller male swallowed at being under his inquisitive blue stare that gave him a once-over, slightly calming as the newest face continued giving him a once-over via circling him as he stood still, "tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" He asked conversationally. Seeing the hobbit had been surprised by his question, he continued, "Axe or sword, which would you prefer?" He finished circling to stand before the hobbit again, a dark brow lifted and his bemused look faltered, the only changes in his otherwise-remaining posture.

Chest puffing a smidge, Bilbo answered confidently, "Well I have _some_ skill at Konkers if you _must_ know… Though I don't see how that's, really, relevant…" His confidence had all-but diminished by the time he was finished speaking.

Thorin scoffed lightly, "thought as such; he looks more like a grocer than a burglar." He said the last part with a sideways smirk extended to his nephews that stood behind him, causing the dwarves to chuckle at his joke even as their host was a bit stung with his jab.

The dwarves along with their leader began to file back to the dining room, leaving the hobbit and wizard to linger in the foyer. The dark-haired dwarf looked up at the willowy elleth that had traipsed alongside him, something she had come to do when she would pay him visits in the past, and he smiled wryly. "I had heard you were attending as well, and for a moment I didn't believe it so… it's been a while, Eäriel." He said.

The she-elf smirked in the same manner, "and here I heard you were fashionably late, in which you apparently didn't disappoint, Thorin." She tilted her head slightly with a knowing look in her eyes before excusing herself to retake her seat with his nephews.

As a pot of stew had been made in preparation for his late arrival, a bowl had been placed before Thorin who took his seat at the head of the table along with a mug of ale.

"What news from the meet in Ered Luin?" Balin asked of their leader who had begun to eat his stew moments after it had been given him, to which Dwalin followed with asking if their kinsman Dáin was in agreement with them.

Thorin's face fell a degree and he shook his head a little, "they would not come." A wave of disappointment towards the mentioned dwarf lord arose among the company, and even the elleth frowned although some part of her was relieved; she had only met the dwarf lord once and his evident despise towards her race was rather bracing… Between the two, she would take Thorin's friendship over a rocky alliance with Dáin any day.

"…You're going on a quest?" Bilbo's small voice asked from the doorway of the dining room, as he had been listening in the entire time, pulling the she-elf from her thoughts as the dwarf prince looked up at him.

Gandalf brightened at seeing the hobbit had remained present, "Bilbo, my dear fellow, would you perhaps give us a little more light?" He asked, as Bilbo trodded off to find a candle and left him to withdraw a worn piece of parchment from his robes, unraveling it to place it before Thorin and reveal that it was a map. "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers and beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak…" He began to say.

" _'The Lonely Mountain_ '…" Bilbo read aloud as the amber glow from the lit candle he held made the map easier to read.

Eäriel took a sip from her refilled mug and silently swirled the amber contents in thought, having no real need to listen to Gandalf speak of the aforementioned mountain. She had taken time during the last several decades to keep surveillance on the mountain, finding that after it had been sacked there was a vacancy of life outside of the lost kingdom's gates, and the men of Esgaroth didn't bother going so close to the mountain… Something she had to blame the dragon for.

"… Ravens have been seen flying back to the Mountain as it was foretold," the hard-of-hearing dwarf Oín stated, confirming the elleth's findings as she had also spotted ravens migrating to the towers of the former kingdom, and he finished gravely, " _'when the birds of yore return to Erebor, then the reign of the beast will end'_."

His cryptic words made Bilbo freeze in stepping away from the dining room, and the hobbit returned to the conversation, a confused look forming on his face, "what ' _beast_ '…?" He asked carefully, looking from the wizard who had begun smoking his pipe to the dwarves to the elleth, the lattermost staring into her mug with a blank look on her face.

Bofur, the dwarf with the odd hat on his head, piped up calmly from his seat at Thorin's right, "That would be in reference to Smaug the Terrible! Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age: airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks; extremely fond of precious metals…!"

"Yes I know what a _dragon_ is!" Bilbo gulped and didn't want to fathom ever meeting such a beast, beginning to wander into the living room again.

"I'm not afraid!" Little Ori piped up bravely as he shot up from his chair, leaving matching amused looks on the princes as they hadn't expected the shy dwarf to speak out, "I'll give 'im a taste of dwarvish iron right up his jacksies!"

Eäriel smiled patiently at the dwarf's bravery even as he was shushed and urged to sit back in his seat by his brothers on either side, taking a sip of ale from her mug.

"The task would be difficult with an army behind us, and we number just thirteen! Not thirteen of the best, or the _brightest_ …" Balin commented, ignoring the murmur of insults from the other dwarves that arose at his picking at their competence.

Fili was next as he spoke up from his seat between Kili and Eäriel, "we may be few in number, but we're _fighters!_ _All_ of _us_ , to the last dwarf!"

Kili piled on in agreement with his brother, "and you forget we've got a _wizard_ in our company! I bet Gandalf will have killed _hundreds_ of dragons in his time!" While some of the dwarves agreed with him and most of the occupants looked at the wizard, Eäriel gently kicked him under the table with her foot, ignoring his wince at her scolding.

Gandalf chuckled slightly in modesty, "I wouldn't really say that, to be honest…" He said.

"How many dragons have you killed, then?" Dori asked, causing the wizard to both splutter slightly on the smoke from his pipe and adopt a blank look that caused the dwarf prince at his right to cock both brows in curiosity.

Nori chimed with his older brother, "Go on, give us a number!"

"I am sure Gandalf's only being modest, gentlemen!" Eäriel piped up if only to help out the wizard, earning all eyes to rest on her in her corner with the princes.

"Come on, Eäriel, I'm sure you've seen one or two of 'em, you've been around about as long as Gandalf and longer than any of us!" Fili declared as he looked at the she-elf, noting her ears perked at his assumption.

Eäriel felt her brow twitch and she replied patiently, "Not exactly, I mean yes, I've seen my fair share of beasts in the past…" She pretended the princes' uncle didn't cock a brow in expectancy as if he waited to hear otherwise, and she contemplated clocking him when this meeting was said and done.

For some reason the rest of the dwarves began to cause an uproar next, debating over things that mostly circulated around the mountain and the dragon inside its halls, and even Bilbo tried to get them to be quiet but he wasn't heard so well. Eäriel looked over at Gandalf to meet his eyes and see the knowing expression on his wise face, and she looked away to quietly take a sip of ale, slightly jumping when Thorin roared at them to shut it as he stood from his seat.

Thorin addressed his kinsmen with a sharp look in his stormy eyes and his words were hardened as he spoke, "If we've read these signs, do you not think _others_ have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread; the dragon Smaug hasn't been seen for nearly a century… Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing and wondering, weighing the risk. The vast wealth of our people lies unprotected perhaps! Do we sit by and let others claim what belongs to us or do we seize this chance to _take_ _back_ _Erebor?_ " His voice rose again towards the end of his speech, earning cheers of agreement from the dwarves, as he raised a fist in excitement.

Ever the voice of reason, Balin pointed out as his leader sat back down in his chair, "Don't forget that the front gate is sealed; there is no way into that mountain."

"That, my friend, isn't entirely true!" Gandalf countered calmly as he withdrew a key, a worn gray sort of key that looked to be of dwarvish make from her point of view, and presented it to Thorin.

Thorin slightly gaped at the artifact, looking at the wizard, "How did you come by this?"

Gandalf replied quietly, "it was given to me by your father, Thráin, it's yours now." He handed it to the dwarf who marveled for a moment at it now in his grip, not missing the momentary sideways glance from the lone elf at mention of the former king.

"If there's a key, there must be a door…" Fili pondered aloud as it hit him, earning a smile from Kili.

Gandalf gestured to the runes scrawled on the left-hand side of the illustration, "these runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." He said.

"Shouldn't be very difficult, then, should it?" Eäriel asked with a thoughtful sort of smile.

Gandalf replied, "on the contrary, dwarf doors are invisible when closed!" He looked at the map thoughtfully and said, "The answer lies somewhere hidden on this map, but I do not have the skill to read it… neither of us, really." He glanced at the elleth as she had also looked at the illustration before meeting his eyes as they came to the same silent conclusion.

There was only one person they knew of who could read the runes.

"The task will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage; but if we are careful, and clever, then I believe it can be done!" Gandalf continued, as he and the elleth had avoided a sharp look from the dwarf prince as he had seen the silent exchange.

Ori spoke up again, " _that's_ why we need a burglar!"

"And a thumping good one too, an _expert_ I figure!" Bilbo, who had been standing near Gandalf, nodded his head assuredly.

 _I_ _don't_ _think_ _he_ _quite_ _gets_ _it_ _yet_ , Eäriel thought with a small smile towards the halfling.

"And _are_ you?" Glóin asked inquisitively.

Bilbo blinked once, " _'Am I_ ' what…?" He asked, confused again.

"He says he's an _expert!_ " Oín said with a satisfied chuckle, not aware of the hobbit's gawking expression.

"I-I'm not a burglar, I've never stolen a thing in my life!" Bilbo protested proudly.

Balin lamented with a shake of his head, "I'm afraid I must agree with Mr. Baggins, he's hardly burglar material."

"Aye, the Wild's no place for gentle folk that can neither fight nor defend themselves." Dwalin agreed with his brother.

Another murmur arose among the dwarves, and the hobbit nodded his head with whatever agreements he could catch, as the volume slowly escalated.

Eäriel couldn't deny the older dwarves' assumptions, and she winced as she could feel a charge of magic come from the wizard, the hairs on her arms slowly standing on end beneath the leather of her vambrances.

She sported a blank look as Gandalf straightened up and commanded, " **Enough**! **If** **I** **say** **Bilbo** **Baggins** **is** **a** _**burglar**_ , **then** **a** **_burglar_** **he** **is**!" Even the candle's light flickered to a thin ember when he had exuded enough of his power, which made the shadows behind him stretch and strengthen and made him look taller, before he continued in a calmer voice, "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet, and can pass unseen by most. And while the dragon is accustomed to the scent of dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all-but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage!" He sat back down and looked at Thorin squarely, "You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There is a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a lot more to offer than any of you know… _Himself_ included." He earned a confused look from the hobbit, and he added with finality as his metallic eyes held Thorin's stormy blue, "you must trust me on this."

It wasn't like he had much room to argue… Thorin pondered for a moment that might as well have lasted a century, his eyes glancing away from the wizard to the she-elf who had chosen to stare at the candle's light that had returned to normal, and he was reminded of the day they first met along with her words she had said.

' _Can we at last have peace?_ '

To ask her to confirm her loyalty to their quest would be insulting, as he recognized she still sought peace and he saw her as an ally now as he should have seen her in years ago, and he nodded. "So be it; give the hobbit a contract, as our elf does not require one." He stated, earning a brief look of surprise from the female before a smile slowly pulled at her lips.

The elleth smiled down at her mug and downed the bit of ale that remained as Balin handed a long folded piece of parchment to Bilbo and explained of the standard procedure as the latter stepped away from the table to read over the fine print, the parchment unraveling at one side until it touched the floor. She mildly arched a brow at Bilbo as he was muttering aloud the words printed on the contract, her ear giving a twitch as she could see he looked a bit pale the further he read as he stopped in the hall.

"…' _Not limited to lacerations… evisceration_ …" The hobbit gulped as he looked up from the parchment to the dwarves, " _' **Incineration** '?_" He quoted, his voice sounding like a squeak.

Bofur nodded, "Oh aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye!" He said chirpily.

At this point Bilbo was beginning to feel lightheaded, and he let out a deep breath to calm himself, and it didn't take the she-elf's sharp eyes to see he was shaking.

"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked of the peaked halfling.

"J-just feel a bit faint, that's all!" Bilbo assured with a half-hearted gesture of his hand, having bent over slightly to see if he could regain his senses.

"Think _furnace_ , with wings!" Bofur said, adding, "Flash of light, searing pain and then… _Poof!_ You're nothing more than a pile of ash!" He didn't take note that the hobbit was teetering slightly.

Bilbo straightened up, puffing a bit of breath to regain his wits, yet the mere thought of coming face to face with that dragon might as well have ended him right then and there… " _Nope!_ " And with that, he fainted.

Eäriel rubbed her hand over her face and exhaled with withering patience, "job well done, lads…" She said quietly.

 _This was going to be a long journey_.

 **|} x {|**

The dapple grey stallion nickered and nudged her hip as she had led him from the stables to secure the rest of the things they would need for their venture.

Looking at the stallion's brown eyes, the she-elf chuckled softly and reached into the small pouch of his saddle to withdraw a carrot, offering it to him. "Sorry, guess I forgot to thank you for your help, didn't I?" She asked as he munched on the vegetable.

It wasn't long before she met the dwarves in Bree and once everyone had a steed and their things that couldn't be carried on the dwarves' chosen ponies went on the ponies that could be spared.

Thorin raised a brow at hearing the soft humming that was coming from the rider at his left, and he glanced up at her as she was astride a sturdy-looking dapple grey horse, and he caught the tune she was humming and recognized it to be that of the dirge they had sung the night prior in the hobbit's home. He was surprised she had lingered to listen to their song, let alone committed it to memory.

"I'm sure he will come." Eäriel commented, as he had remained quiet so far despite riding alongside her, looking at him as he slightly perked up at her words and she glanced at him. "The hobbit." She added if only to clarify her words.

"Don't tell me you have picked up the gift of foresight, in your time with the wizard…?" Thorin wondered blandly as he met her glance with a sideways look of his own.

Eäriel laughed slightly, looking forward as she gripped the reins of her stallion, "no, I just know… Can't possibly think all I'm good for is merely combat, can you?" She jested.

"Or babysitting?" Thorin arched a brow again as he looked at her.

Their stares held before Eäriel rolled her eyes and smiled, "nonsense, you're far too old to be considered a babe."

"As if you are _so_ mature." Thorin scoffed, seeing her brow twitch.

Eäriel made to open her mouth when hearing someone running up to them from the greenery on the right side of the path, and when the dwarf prince looked at her oddly, she nodded her head behind them.

"Wait! **Wait**!" Bilbo Baggins emerged and slowed his rushing feet to a halt as he lifted the parchment he held that had been fluttering in his wake, "I signed it!" He said, smiling sheepishly when some of the dwarves chuckled, presenting the contract to Balin who had slowed his white pony to a halt.

At seeing the downward turn of his lips, the elleth reached to gently shove his shoulder, and when he looked at her she said patiently, "play nice."

Thorin exhaled and turned forward, "Give him a pony!" He said to the others, urging his bay steed to move forward so they may continue.

Eäriel looked back at the curly-haired burglar and nodded her head to him before she turned her stallion to shortly follow the dwarf's, coming up alongside him again. "I do believe this might turn interesting, indeed, _mellonin_." She said.

Thorin looked up at her to see the upward quirk of her lips and he quieted, huffing a little, and saying no more.

 _Interesting_ would be putting it lightly.

* * *

 _ **an** : okay, so I know you lot are as glad for the formalities to be over as I am, and with that I'll leave you with this until next update; lates! :)_


	4. Oh the River It's Running Free

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* * *

Chewing on her bottom lip, the elleth studied the runes again.

She had been trying to read them for nearly four days whenever the company would stop for a meal and or sleep, and so far she was stumped… Something she disliked.

So far they had only been on the road for less than a week, and as it was only the start, the dwarves didn't seem to be too sick of horseback just yet… She wondered when, exactly. She was fine with her stallion, Brand as she had affectionately called him, and Gandalf had yet to complain about his chestnut mare Rose; it was on the second day where she helped Fili and Kili get the ponies and two horses settled for a night of rest that they decided to name the steeds, and she thought the names were suitable enough for the ponies.

She had not spent much time trying to decode ancient languages in her childhood, and unfortunately, it was the same with the ancient dwarvish runes scrawled on the map. So she decided to hang it up for another day.

"No luck, then." Gandalf surmised as he was given the map back from the she-elf as he had started smoking his pipe.

Eäriel withdrew the small knife given to her by Kili and studied its handle; after finding the proper place for it, which had been at the back of her belt that held up her black trousers, she would pull it out every now and then to study the make. "I was schooled, yes, just not in decoding ancient languages." She replied quietly, tracing a slender finger along the silvery blade.

Gandalf puffed on a bit of smoke, "if I recall, you were mostly schooled in not pertaining to your studies as much as pertaining to combat practice." He had an amused look in his eyes.

"It was only until Uncle found out…" Eäriel gave him a look from beneath her brow, causing the wizard's lips to quirk up in further amusement regarding her childhood escapades. She glanced at the dwarves and lone hobbit slumbering –she could tell the former were indeed slumbering, judging by their snores—before adding softly in her tongue, " _If I could somehow convince him that it would be wise to head there instead of trudge on without knowing what the runes say, then that would make this less of a headache_."

" _Which would not be wise if the suggestion came from your mouth_." Gandalf quipped in like tongue, watching her glance again at the dwarves though he knew she was looking at one dwarf in particular, and he continued quietly, " _You have worked hard enough to secure a stable alliance with him, and as your friend, I would not see you fail_."

Eäriel's face softened slightly and she nodded, returning the knife to its sheath and looking at his wise metallic eyes, " _very well, I will leave it to you… Between the two of us, I put more trust in the fact that you are more tactful with reasoning with kings_." She agreed, lifting her bow from the ground next to where she sat as she straightened up to take night watch, as she had agreed to do so for the dwarves while they slept (which had been something she had done per courtesy towards Thorin when he had taken her back to Ered Luin with he and his men).

Gandalf nodded slightly to her as she left his company, watching her scale the nearby oak with little effort, a thin trail of smoke dancing from his pipe.

She had as much tact as he, though she would not use it until later on in their journey.

 **|} x {|**

The water level of the river didn't look very appealing as it was the result of the sudden downpour that had plagued them for the last few days of their journey.

Bringing Brand to a halt alongside Rose and her rider, she looked at the river before them with a slight frown on her brow, before she looked back at the dwarf prince who was also eyeing the river from his place astride Bungo; their eyes met for a moment as she silently assured she would cross first, and she broke stares to look at the wizard and as he saw her plan she had, he nodded and let her lead.

The speckled horse gave a vain whinny of protest before the elleth murmured her assurance to him, and he began crossing the river, the water level coming just shy of his ribs as he crossed over to the safer part of the shore.

Eäriel smiled down at Brand and looked at the others, "two at a time, gentlemen!" She said, murmuring her praise to the stallion whose ears flicked and he shook his mane a smidge, causing her to gently pat his neck.

Gandalf and Bilbo went second, and the hobbit actually felt a measure of safety as he crossed with the wizard at his left; next went Thorin and Balin, and shortly after them the remaining eleven (Bombur had to cross on his own as he basically made up two dwarves) crossed, as the current slowly began to become choppy after Nori and Ori crossed.

Eäriel bit her lip as she noticed this, as did Gandalf, and she silently thanked the stars that Fili crossed safely on his gray pony; though as Fili's gray pony was calmer towards crossing, it was Kili's darker pony that panicked as the current threatened to take the pony with it, causing the dark steed to spook and lose its footing on the stones in the bank.

" **Kili**!" Fili shouted as he made to rush after his brother and steed that were carried away, before Thorin grabbed his arm to keep him from putting himself in danger; a neigh sounded then as the dapple grey stallion bolted off after the prince and pony with the elleth astride.

"H-help!" Kili cried from the waters that tried to drag him down, distantly hearing his pony neigh in fright from amidst the churning water, looking up as he tried to stay afloat at the horse that chased the current at top speed.

 _Good thing I bought this_ , Eäriel thought as she had withdrawn a long length of rope from one of the saddle bags, fastening one end to her stallion's saddle and the other around her waist; she readied to jump from his back just as they got close enough to the edge of the bank and Kili's head bobbed up again in the waters, and taking a breath, she jumped off her horse's back into the river. She gasped as she resurfaced and cursed the rain for causing the river to be so cold, swimming close enough to grab hold of the prince's arm and he in turn gasped her name in relief at finding she had rescued him, latching onto her until she pulled him to her chest and held fast. Bobbing down one more time beneath the surface, both elf and dwarf resurfaced and felt relief at that, as the former commanded her steed to halt in elvish.

The rope was drawn taut with a jerk that caused the elleth to gasp slightly in pain as the rope's tightened grip knocked the wind out of her for that one moment, before she felt they were being pulled back to shore, and she looked up to see Brand was being pulled back by some of the dwarves as the remainder were pulling on the rope that extended past the horse's saddle.

"T-thank you, Eäriel," Kili breathed in relief as they were reaching the shore, looking up at the elleth between dark locks that got in his face, a slightly sheepish smile on his face.

Eäriel chuckled slightly, "Don't mention it, Kili…" She replied with a small smile; they were pulled ashore with aid from Dwalin and Bofur, and both elf and dwarf shook the water off of them as the former undid the knot that had kept her connected to the other end of the rope.

"You idiot, what on earth was that for?" Fili scolded his brother with a quick embrace before both brothers walked off to where they had recovered the younger's pony, and even though the older seemed angry towards being scared out of his wits at nearly losing his brother, they looked as if the incident brought them closer if possible.

She believed that, anyway…

" _What on earth were you thinking!?_ "

Eäriel winced slightly at being yelled at, and she exhaled slightly before turning her sights onto the ruffled dwarf prince, and for a moment she wasn't sure whether to believe he was angry or relieved or some concoction of both emotions. She straightened slightly from having been wringing out her dampened mane of hair, meeting his irritable blue stare. "The weather seemed nice enough for a little swim, what can I say?" She sniffed.

Thorin folded his arms over his chest, unmoving, as the irritable light in his stormy blue orbs lingered. "If I wanted cheek, I would not have asked you the reason of why you _acted so_ _ **recklessly**_ _!_ " He snapped. He was grateful she had saved his nephew, he wouldn't deny that as it seemed though she thought his nephews like her brothers, but some part of him that had softened to her plight long ago was shaken at the mere thought of her drowning… It wasn't like he could figure it out, because he couldn't. He just knew he deserved to be answered.

"And if I wanted an interrogation like if I had done something _wrong_ when I _clearly didn't_ , I would have stayed in the Woodland Realm!" Eäriel shot back hotly, sharply looking away as being interrogated made her bristle and think of less-than-happier times in her past, and she inhaled steadily to meet his slightly surprised stare. "How many centuries must pass before you learn that I am _not._ _ **your.**_ _ **enemy**_ , Thorin?" She asked evenly, curbing her temper enough to speak clearly to him. Nostrils flaring with an exhale, she watched the reality of her question become evident in his stormy orbs before she turned away to tend to her stallion, silently stating once again that she would not fight him and that she respected their friendship enough to withdraw from a row.

The dwarf prince's hands curled and uncurled at his sides and he groaned under his breath, stomping after her to remount his steed so they may continue for the remainder of the day.

 **|} x {|**

Despite the slightly miffed manner he held with her for their slight row, he had let her take a break from night watch for the last few nights.

She wanted to believe it was because he saw she was trying to keep the peace between them, or perhaps it was some measure of chivalry he still retained from his younger days of being groomed as a prince of Erebor. Either way, it was a nice respite and she was pleased with it, so she said nothing.

The snores of the dwarves hummed in the clear night's air.

The company had taken refuge on an overlooking hill that had a stout rock carved inwardly, the covered post proving suitable for the princes who had been deemed the night watch for the evening. And as she did not require sleep like dwarves, men and hobbits did, Eäriel sat with the princes as a third set of eyes.

"Melan."

Shaking her head, she poked at the fire with a twig before feeding it to the flames. "No, there are two 'L's in the word. Try to sound it out." Off and on, she had been teaching –at the incessant puppy-dog looks from both princes; she would maim Kili one day for starting that— elvish to Fili and Kili. Mostly when Thorin was not within listening range, partially because they had promised to teach her Khuzdul in like; rather the Khuzdul they knew, so you can imagine at least several swear words had been thrown into the medley.

Scrunching his face up slightly, Fili tried again, " _Mel-lon_." He said slowly.

Eäriel smiled and nodded in approval. "Wasn't that hard, was it?" She said.

Looking to the sleeping dwarves beyond their reach, Fili caught the pale moonlight winking off Dwalin's head and he grinned, looking back at his instructor and saying, "Dwalin is a _mellon_ -head."

Kili snorted in amusement as Eäriel shook her head but sported a grin in likewise amusement. "A friend to what, birds?" He asked cheerily. Unsurprisingly, he had been quicker to learn the elven tongue than Fili had; she still believed to this day that he had a fancy for elves… He was just blessed that his dear uncle did not know of that little secret.

The elleth chuckled, looking at their slumbering companions again when catching a hint of movement from among them, seeing a familiar head of curly hair straighten to make his way over to the ponies. Her eyes calmed and she smiled thoughtfully at the hobbit's kindness he showed to his little steed Myrtle.

"His head makes for a nice shiny perch for 'em, if you ask me…" Fili snickered, right before the amusement fled as a shrill screech cut into the night like a hot knife.

Eäriel stiffened from her place at Kili's left, her piercing eyes scanning the darkness beyond their camp with her dominant hand gripping the handle of a concealed dagger in the underside of her left vambrance. Seeing Bilbo jump slightly in place before he looked to them seated by the fire, she watched him dart over; for a moment his harried movement reminded her of a spooked rabbit.

Poor lad, he wasn't used to the frights the Wild had for them, and she pitied him for it.

"What was that?" Bilbo hissed as he dared a look over his shoulder at the darkness of the wood beyond their overlook.

Another screech sounded, only fainter than the first; Kili took a glance at the sky beyond the covering and mused, "Orcs."

" _'Orcs'!_ " Bilbo parroted a bit more audibly, and the elleth didn't miss seeing Thorin startle awake at the word, the hobbit not mindful of the now-awake dwarf. Eäriel bit her lip to vainly dodge an amused smirk that fought to show when seeing he had been spooked.

"Throat-cutters," Fili supplied grimly, recognizing the fear on the poor halfling's face, taking a drag from his pipe as he added in the same tone, "the lowlands will be crawlin' with them."

Kili caught on to his brother's ploy and fought a smirk from showing as he added in a likewise-grim tone as he looked to the hobbit with warning, "Quick and quiet they are; no screams, just lots of blood."

When Bilbo turned away from the trio to look at the darkness with a newfound anxiety, Eäriel whacked Kili's head reproachfully with her hand and shot a likewise scowl at Fili. "I swear, you two…" She hissed.

"You think a night-raid by orcs is funny, then?" A low rumble sounded from Thorin as he stood to his feet to also look on his nephews with reproach, albeit his scowl was more effective.

Fili and Kili shared a look of guilt and resembled a pair of kicked puppies before the latter supplied quietly, "Didn't mean anythin' by it, Uncle..."

Thorin snorted, rather catty about being awoken for no good reason, "Of course not. You're still young, and therefore know _nothing_ of the world…" He stated gruffly as he stomped off to be left with his thoughts that had resurfaced, arms folding at his back as he went.

Eäriel watched him go with a concerned look as she crossed her arms at her chest and sighed.

"Don't mind him, lads," Balin said as he leaned against the covering's rocky wall, looking at the princes and hobbit, following the elleth's gaze as he added, "Thorin's got more cause than most to hate orcs." Seeing a slight nod from the female, he began to recount the tale of the Battle of Azanulbizar, bringing back memories the older dwarves present could remember vividly as if it were only yesterday.

It was a fond memory as that is when they first met, she deemed, though the story was nothing to be happy about.

Thorin turned back to the others when Balin's tale ended and the night had seemed to turn calm afterward, as it left remnants of memories that were both glorious to have witnessed and bitter with dulled grief, seeing the dwarves that had been sleeping were now standing as if in salute to him… _to their king_. His eyes landed on their gazes warmed with determination until his blue orbs met the paler blue orbs of the lone elf, and he was briefly surprised to see her gaze showed pride, pride that was actually meant for him. A smile threatened to form as he gave a slight nod to his companions, returning to walk to the other side of their overlook.

"The pale orc… what happened to him?" Bilbo asked quietly as he recalled the Gundabad ilk that had been defeated by the dwarf prince.

Thorin scoffed in disgust at the mention, "Slunk back into the hellhole from whence he came; that beast died of his wounds long ago." He answered for Balin, continuing past the hobbit.

Gandalf and Balin shared a look; Eäriel looked at them and bit her lower lip as she hugged her knees and looked away.  
 _  
Why would you delude yourself into thinking such a thing, Thorin…?_

* * *

 _ **an** : i did say "every few days", and last i looked "few" is akin to two-five min/hrs/days etc. also bc i wanted to post this chap before getting into the more exciting chapters i'm going to work on as soon as i post this. also, s/o to **Blueeyedwolf33** for being an amazing author and for wanting to read my fic, i was and still am starstruck bc i admire her writing skills like bad okay okay. regular updates are staying the same, regarding **tumblr** , and i am surprised noone has reviewed this yet..? shocking. it's not mandatory, i'm just surprised is all.. anywho, that's that and until next update, lates! :)_


	5. Down By the Trollshaws

.

* * *

Brand's ears flicked to and fro, slowed to a canter via his rider's command, sensing her mild anxiety that had since strengthened the further she took note of their surroundings.

An abandoned farmhouse along with a few ruined buildings nearby were situated in the overgrown greenery of what had once been a farm, and she subconsciously gripped the reins of her stallion as she surveyed the former residence, a frown pulling at her lovely face.

Something was off, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Camp here for the night; Fili, Kili, tend to the ponies and stay with them!" Thorin stated as he nodded to his nephews who had ridden behind him; he had been surprised the elleth had not rode alongside him today as she had done for most of this leg of their journey, rather riding with Bilbo, both odd-balls of their company talking now and then in the companionable atmosphere on the way to their new campsite.

Eäriel dismounted her steed and left him to munch on the grass beneath his hooves, shuffling closer to the wizard who had also dismounted Rose to enter the doorway of the ruined house, looking about before her eyes settled on her friend. "I have a bad feeling about this, Gandalf… People lived here, last I looked a few years back, and this is too close to the trollshaws." She murmured as she had followed him into the house's front room.

Gandalf nodded his head, "I could not agree more… I think it would be wise to move on!" He said as Thorin had followed them inside the house when seeing they had talked quietly amongst each other. He earned a sharp look from the elleth at his side before he proposed to the dwarf prince, "we could make for the Hidden Valley."

"I've told you before that I would _not_ go near _that place_." Thorin rumbled a protest, scorn he had long-since held for the elves showing in his stare as he looked at the wizard.  
 _  
As expected_ … Eäriel once again entertained the thought of clocking his dense skull for being so adamant, but instead she exhaled slowly through her nose. "Thorin, they could help us. We could get advice, and rest, along with food… I will plead with Lord Elrond to help us, I assure you." She reasoned evenly, meeting his eyes and the darkened way they shone for that moment, but she ignored it and instead folded her arms across her chest complacently.

If he was going to be stubborn, then so was she.

"I do not need advice, not from them… Count yourself blessed to have earned our trust, because I am not about to be so willing to trust those elves that did not aid my forefathers and instead betrayed them." Thorin snapped, bristling at seeing she did not back down, as adamant as he save she was worrying for nothing.

He thought so, anyway.

"Lord Elrond is many things but he is **not** Thranduil…" There was an unidentifiable flash of quiet anger in her piercing eyes, but it lasted for less than a second, and she clipped out with irritation, "Believe that if you can."

Thorin clipped back in the same irritable tone, "Whether they are like the other does not matter, for we are _not_ going to the Hidden Valley… You are on watch tonight."

She had a look on her face that would have been followed shortly with a slap across his face, but she did not succumb to striking him (even though she had half a right mind to do so), instead striding past him to where the others were setting up camp with a snarled curse in elvish under her breath as she went.

The burglar looked up at the she-elf as she strode past him to tend to her stallion, and he frowned, "Erm, everything alright then, Eäriel?" He called to her.

"Bebother and confusticate that **dense-headed** **tosspot**!" Eäriel bit out before she pulled Brand with her to where the princes were tending to the ponies.

Balin, who had been standing near Bilbo as they were unsaddling his pony Daisy, looked at where the elleth had come from in such a mood before he shook his head a smidge and a wry smile played at his wise face.

Bilbo was lost for a moment and wondered why Balin was smiling, before seeing Gandalf storm off from where he and the elleth had been speaking with Thorin, and he chose to ask the wizard. "Everything alright, Gandalf? Erm, where're you going?" He asked as the wizard made a beeline for his steed Rose.

"To seek the company of the only person who's got any sense around here!"

"And who is that, exactly…?"

" **Myself** , Mr. Baggins!"

 **|} x {|**

"He's been gone a long while…"

"Who?"

"Gandalf!"

Bofur rolled his eyes at the hobbit's anxiety that was clear as day even to a blind man, and he spooned a helping of stew into the second bowl before doing the same for the third. "He's a wizard, comes and goes as he likes!" Presenting the bowls to the halfling, he added, "Here, take these to the lads and lass, will you?"

Bilbo accepted the bowls and stepped away from the chipper dwarf who had just swatted his brother's chubby paw away from the ladle and said he had had enough already, approaching the oak towards the end of their camp where the lone female had taken position of watchman. It never ceased to amaze him just how fluid and sure she looked as she scaled trees like if she had been raised in them all her life. "Erm, Eäriel? Brought some stew… Hope you're hungry." He cleared his throat and looked up at the tree's leaves.

A quiet rustling sounded from the green before the elleth dropped to land nimbly on two feet before him, her bow slung over her shoulder. "I am a bit hungry, actually…" She mused as she took the bowl from him with a bob of her head in thanks, noting the two bowls he carried before taking a moment to eat her own portion, and nodded slightly in the direction of the rest of the forest where the princes were stationed, "s' a bit dark in there." She mused.

She had let her irritation with the dwarf subside for now, mostly because she had steered clear of him in the time between their setting up camp and this moment, and was still not happy with his ' _sheer dense-skulled_ ' idea.

"I'm sure they're not that far into the forest," Bilbo said if only to ward away his anxiety that had since lingered and strengthened after the wizard had left their company, offering a slight smile to the elf.

Eäriel returned the smile and then glanced at the warm glow of the fire that had been made just shy of the ruined house's front room, before she set her bowl down and took the second bowl from him, speaking when a look of confusion shone in his brown eyes, "Come on then, watch where I step." She then turned to lead the way into the forest.

Bilbo quickly followed her wake and made sure to listen to her advice, glad she had chosen to help him both with balancing the bowls and in the dark, as her eyes were best between them at the moment. "So I suppose you're also unsure of where Gandalf went?" He asked.

"Wherever he went, I'm sure he didn't go far; he knows as well as I that Thorin would have a fit if he up and left so soon, and before we even got past the Misty Mountains…" Stepping over a risen root, she glanced back at her companion and added if only to assure him, "He'll come back."

"Is he always like that? Thorin, I mean…" The hobbit wondered with a brief glance back at their camp whose light was all-but gone from where they were walking.

The elleth gave an unladylike snort, "count yourself lucky that you are a hobbit, Master Baggins. He does have his moments, yes, when he's relying on his brains and not his pride… but the word ' _elves'_ does not sit well with him." She said blandly.

He frowned slightly, "I thought he liked you, though, that he trusted you… Does that not mean anything?" He pointed out.

"Elves and dwarves have had a long –and I mean long!—and bitter alliance that is all-but dead by this point, as you may already know. Thorin only dislikes elves because of what his father has bred into him, and his grandfather before that. Some elves he dislikes more than most, I'm afraid." She explained, her voice quieted as she thought of the very elves referred to, and she slowed her pace as she could spot the princes only yards away.

Left to ponder on her words, Bilbo found the princes as she had come to a halt, and he shuffled around her to present the bowl of stew to the blonde dwarf as she had stopped near the dark-haired dwarf. He raised a brow when the former did not respond to his gesture, and he asked, "What is it?"

"We're supposed to be looking after the ponies," Kili started.

Fili completed, "only we've encountered a… a bit of a predicament. We had seventeen, though now there are fifteen."

Eäriel looked past the brothers to find with relief both Brand and Rose as they were standing off to the side of the herd of smaller steeds, seeing Brand flick his ears and nicker when her gaze swept over them, and she smiled a little. She took a second glance at the ponies and then lightly nudged the blonde, "split up, we'll see if we can't find them wandering about." Though she doubted that… Why else would her ' _bad feeling_ ' be worsening by the second?

Without another word, the odd quartet separated and searched among the surrounding trees, and regrouped near the ponies after coming up with hardly any leads.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing," Kili observed as he returned through the trees shortly after his companions.

Eäriel ran a hand through her hair she'd drawn into a thick braid, knowing that even though he was probably still irritated with her for their disagreement, a certain dwarf prince wouldn't be too happy to find that his pony had gone missing.

"Well that's not good, at all!" Bilbo said, having lifted the second bowl of stew when the elleth had left it behind to search for the missing ponies.

Having noticed it first, the aforementioned female stepped away from her friends towards the large tree that had been uprooted in the clearing they stood in, and her frown became more pronounced as she acknowledged the subliminal notion.

Something had uprooted this tree… something _big_.

"Boys…" Eäriel urged in an uncharacteristically small voice, hearing the trio shuffle closer to where she had squatted to examine the felled tree and away from the ponies.

"And _that_ is not good either!" Bilbo gulped as he gestured to the tree's state with one of the bowls that the elleth had abandoned, seeing her straighten to look on the large footprint near the felled tree, and he looked at the older prince, "shouldn't we tell Thorin?" He asked.

"No… It's best we don't worry him." Fili's bearded face paled a smidge at the idea of explaining this to their already-moody uncle, and he looked on the hobbit, "though as our official burglar, we thought you would want to look into it?"

Looking at the evidence they had, Bilbo replied, "well it looks like something _big_ uprooted these trees…!"

"Aye…" Eäriel nodded slightly, not entirely in the present as she went over the internal map she had kept in her memory of their whereabouts, knowing their camp was not far from two land marks.

The Trollshaws… and Rivendell.

"… A light!" Fili's voice pulled her from her thoughts, causing the elleth to look over his head to see an amber flame flickering in the distance, not a hundred yards away. He motioned their quartet forward and they quickly moved through the darkened brush, the brothers first with the elleth shortly following and the hobbit at the rear as they got closer to take a better look at what appeared to be a second campfire.

It did not take her sharp hearing to hear the crude laugh from the second campfire, and the elleth's jaw clenched as her ' _bad feeling'_ only worsened as it had been doing since they had decided to camp nearby.

She had half a right mind to clock that dense-headed tosspot… Unfortunately, they had the issue of missing ponies to deal with before she ever pulled through with that idea.

"What is it?" Bilbo whispered as they had ducked behind a fallen log, looking at the elleth as she had ducked between he and Kili.

"Trolls." Kili grumbled in distaste, being the first to dart around the log to get even closer, Fili at his heels as they stepped over the log and Eäriel nimbly hopped over it with her longer legs.

Bilbo followed the brothers' example by stepping over, though he doubled back to take the bowls of stew with him, and as he carried the bowls in each hand he recognized he had lost sight of his companions. It was only a brief whistle from behind one tree near him that caused the hobbit to dart into the shade, finding relief that it was the elleth who had whistled to him, and she made a gesture for him to be silent.

Less than a moment later, a large troll walked past their hiding place, another two ponies on hand as it made its way to the second camp.

"He's got Myrtle and Minty!" Bilbo hissed when it was safe for them to emerge, looking from the elleth's hardened gaze that was set on where the troll had gone, and then looking at the brothers as they had ducked behind another log to spy on the troll. "I think they're going to eat them, we've got to do something!" He added.

Both princes simultaneously looked at him, earning an arched-brow look from the lone female as she could nearly see their brains concocting a diversion, and Kili was the first to grab the hobbit. "Yes, you should! Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're small enough, they won't see you." He said.

Fili chimed in as the hobbit began to protest, knowing the elleth was not going to be happy with what they were doing in any way shape or form, as he took the bowls from the hobbit, "We'll be right behind you, and if you run into any trouble, hoot once like a barn owl and twice like a brown owl!" He shoved the hobbit forward.

Bilbo could only find his feet go in the forward direction towards the trolls and as he muttered the instructions given, a thought came to him regarding the flawed logic behind the dwarf's words, and he turned about to find much to his dismay that the dwarves and elf were gone.

Eäriel had been pulled by Fili's free hand and Kili's grasp on her wrist as soon as the hobbit had turned his back, and she took pity on the halfling, even though the majority of her had more than enough reason to rush back to his aid… "You do realize this is one of your most reckless ideas yet…?" She wondered blandly as they were approaching the outskirts of camp.

"Not if we help him before the trolls get a hold of him!" Fili replied as they skidded to a halt just shy of the fire where the cooking pot stood, he and Kili trying to regain their breath as Eäriel had shied from their grasp to look back at the forest before she looked on the Company as eleven sets of eyes fell on the trio with concern.

Eäriel let her eyes find and rest on the dwarf prince's blue gaze that searched hers for an explanation and she nodded her chin in the direction of the forest. "We have a problem." She said.

 **|} x {|**

At seeing the fear in his nephews' eyes, Thorin looked on the elleth as her eyes had not wavered from him, and as she was the more responsible one between the trio he asked, "What's wrong?"

"W-well, that's a great question, Uncle…" Fili started as he had been first to regain his bearings, gulping slightly.

Kili added, "We had a, erm, a problem with the ponies…"

"Mountain trolls stole four of the ponies, and these two sent our esteemed burglar to fetch the ponies." Eäriel stated with a brief look at both princes at her sides, and she shouldered her bow on reflex and added, "If we are done mulling over the state of things, I believe we should get a move on, don't you?" She mildly took note of the dwarves that had jumped to their feet at the news and reached for their respective weapons, their meals left on the ground, as battle cries arose into the dark.

Thorin's eyes had darkened as they had during their disagreement, albeit he was moreso angry than irritable right now and he acknowledged that under pressure the elleth was sarcastic and mildly condescending… Mildly. His nostrils flared with an exhale and he nodded to her. "Lead the way." He ordered, still mildly miffed with her for their disagreement, holding her stare a moment longer to see she too was a bit miffed from earlier.

But regardless she had to take the proverbial high road… otherwise she would _never_ hear the end of it.

Eäriel nodded back and returned her bow to its place in her quiver, favoring her knives instead, turning to lead the way for them through the darkness as her sharp eyes found which path they had taken with ease.

As it had been a while since he had trekked with the elf under cover of night, Thorin was mildly amazed at her footing, finding she was near silent as her boots carried her through the trees; he looked at her for a moment and took in her willowy form that was graceful, and when she would be herself she was compassionate and kind, but elsewise she was confident and tenacious… He shook his head a smidge to bring his mind back to the present, just before he noted they were closer to the firelight of the second camp.

Simultaneously the Company ducked and or hid in the bushes surrounding the camp, arriving in time to see Bilbo being lifted off the ground by one of the trolls, their grubby paw holding him high by his ankle.

Eäriel had planted her back against a tree near the bushes where Thorin and Dwalin were, and she flexed her grasp on her knives' handles, looking around the tree to bite back a growl of disgust at taking note there were three trolls; no doubt they were bloody daft, ontop of ugly and hungry… She wrinkled her nose.

"… There any more of you _burglar-hobbits_ lurkin' about?" The head troll, which was the tallest and biggest –and stupidest in her opinion—of the trio, demanded of the caught hobbit.

Bilbo yelped, "Y-yep, just me!" At least he remained loyal to the cause; Eäriel hoped Thorin could see that much.

"He's lying!" The small troll accused.

"N-no I'm not!"

"Hold his toes over the fire, make 'im _squeal!_ " The same troll sneered… Right before Kili dashed in, reckless as always – _great, two dwarves to clock over the head_ , Eäriel thought—and slashed at the soft flesh of the back of the troll's leg, causing the troll to squeal in pain before collapsing and clutching his leg.

"Drop him!" Kili shouted as he brushed bits of hair away and looked on the trolls with a hopefully-intimidating look on his face.

"'Oo what?" The head troll demanded.

Brandishing his sword, Kili repeated, "I said ' _drop him'!_ " It was only a moment later that the hobbit was thrown at him, knocking both down with a ' _thud'_ , to which the rest of the Company charged in with several battle cries.

Eäriel disliked trolls as much as the next elf, and she knew the trolls would be too tough-skinned for the dwarves' blows, but perhaps they could buy enough time for Bilbo to get the ponies free… _Yes, that was a good plan_. She launched herself into the chaos the campsite had become, weaving in and about the dwarves, her knives singing as she sliced and hacked at what parts of the trolls she could get at on top of ducking and diving out of the way of the trolls' grubby paws that sought to grab her. She fell back out of the amber glow of the fire just long enough to take note that the dwarves, even when they were knocked away like stubborn flies, hopped back up with renewed vigor.

Truly dwarves were a hardy folk.

She smiled slightly at the reminder, perking up when a loud whinny sounded from the ponies in the crude holding pen they were held in; quickly looking in that direction, she raised a brow in surprise as she could easily spot Bilbo's head of curly hair as he was opening the small door for the ponies to get free, to which they galloped out and away at top speed. _Perhaps Gandalf was right after all_ , she thought with a slight smirk, her smirk faltering when one of the trolls lunged at her out of the corner of her eye; she dodged on reflex and before she knew it, a hand grabbed her quiver from behind and pulled her into the ranks of the dwarves. She straightened and glanced back to see it was Thorin who had done it; she looked away, wondering why he had yanked her back, only to find with surprise to see Bilbo had been caught and was held up between two trolls' grip on his limbs… "Nasty filth!" She spat at the trolls, fighting with all her strength to not rush forward and further endanger her companion's life, anger and irritation in her piercing glare that was fixed on the troll that was speaking for them to stand down otherwise the hobbit would lose his own.

With rage having built up inside him, which only strengthened with each passing second, Thorin reluctantly stabbed his sword's blade into the ground before him. Shocked glances passed among the dwarves with him –those who hadn't been snagged by the trolls in the scuffle—before they also laid down their arms. Thorin glanced over at the elleth as she was returning her blades to their respective sheaths on her back and shrugging her weapons off her person to place them aside near a bush, and he was unsurprised to see a scathing glare was firmly set on her lovely face, her eyes all the while glowering up at the trolls in defiance that her willpower would not let slide… At least he was not the only one who was angry.

Shortly after they had conceded to the begrudging terms, the trolls had them remove some of the outer layers of their clothing, placing them in sacks. Half of the Company was placed on a log of a rotating spit whereas the remainder were kept to the side to be cooked afterward.

"This one's for dessert!" The troll that had finished drawing the strings on the sack containing the elleth, the head troll apparently, said as he tossed the elleth away with those who weren't on the spit.

Eäriel yelped slightly as she landed ontop of one of the dwarves rather unceremoniously, a combined ' _oof_ ' sounding between she and the unlucky dwarf. Slightly shaking her head, she lifted her head to meet a familiar set of stormy blue eyes, both sets of blue orbs holding for a moment that might as well have been an hour.

Thorin was already angry the blasted hobbit had slipped up on what should have been a successful mission, and his nephews for goading the unfortunate halfling into doing it in the first bloody place, so to have the elf thrown ontop of him was another irritant… Perhaps. He had winced slightly when she had landed on him, though some part of him recognized she wasn't so heavy as he had thought she would be, and at finding she had twisted so she lay on his torso made his irritation and anger melt away for a moment that might as well have been hours.

Blue held blue and it seemed as if she had let her guard down, and once again he was reminded of the day they had met, how pale and clear her blue eyes looked with wisdom and a subliminal eagerness for battle she hid deep down.

As he had been the one who was basically responsible for this evening's events, and only worsening it by making their situation that much more complicated, Eäriel's sense of reality pulled her away from staring into the conflicting shades of blue in his gaze and back to their temporary standing. She silently cursed the trolls as the sack gave her little room to move about, though she somehow managed to roll onto the side again, finding with surprise the place she landed was not occupying a hobbit or dwarf –rather Oín, as she had been dropped between him and Thorin moments ago. She didn't need to pretend to not see Thorin was looking at her sorely as she was squirming in her binds, recalling she hadn't let go of her daggers concealed in her vambrances, thus explaining why she was trying to withdraw one of the blades from its hiding place.

"…That does sound quite nice!" The skinny troll said thoughtfully, causing her ears to twitch.

"Never mind the seasonin'; we ain't got all night, dawn ain't far away! I don't fancy bein' turned to stone!" The head troll snapped.

Both elf and hobbit perked up at hearing that overly-hinted clue, pausing in their respective squirming; of course, how could she forget? The elleth's lips began to quirk up in a smile and she briefly looked at the hobbit to practically see the idea formed in his mind, before she resumed her quest.

"You are making a _terrible_ mistake!" Bilbo declared, earning the trio's attention.

Dori piped up from his place on the spit, "you can't reason with them, they're _half-wits!_ "

" _'Half-wits'_ , what's that make us!" Bofur scoffed.  
 _  
Intelligent_ , Eäriel thought to say but she kept her mouth shut as she had… just about… _got it!_

It seemed her body relaxed once she held one of her daggers in hand, and she paused to both regain some of her bearings she had lost in her squirming and watch Bilbo hobble to his feet to speak properly to the trolls… Well, about as proper as one could get, while stuffed in a sack. Were their situation in a lighter manner, she would've found his hobbling to be comical.

"Wha' _about_ the seasonin'?" The middle troll demanded.

Bilbo huffed, "have you _smelt_ them? You're going to need something a lot stronger than sage before you plate _this lot_ up!" He said with a slight jerk of his head at the dwarves.

" ** _Traitor_** _!_ " Several if not most of the Company exclaimed in chorus, and the lone female could swear she wanted to yell at them to shut it so the plan could work, but again she remained silent; she was still sawing at the binds holding her wrists together, her left hand awkwardly holding the dagger's handle as she worked, knowing the trolls wouldn't hear her.

If they weren't daft, they were deaf, and most times it was a combination of both.

"What do _'oo_ know about cookin' dwarf?" The head troll demanded of the hobbit before the cook troll shushed him and gestured the hobbit continue.

"Ah-um well, the secret to cooking dwarf is, um…" Bilbo was momentarily at a loss for words as he tried to think of something; no matter what he said it would only incite the dwarves' general outrage further, so it was either let them all be eaten before dawn or think fast… He was not about to be eaten by a bloody troll. "Yes, yes, I'm _telling_ you! The secret to cooking dwarf is to… to _skin them first!_ "

Again, his words earned an outraged roar from the dwarves, along with a few death threats from those on the spit; the lone elf snorted under her breath, using the noise and biting down on her lip at the sting of pain as she bent her legs at just the right angle so she could sever the binds on her ankles, as she had already gotten her wrists free.

"…A load of _wubbish!_ I've eaten plenty of 'em with their skins on!" The head troll declared in disbelief.

She heard it before she saw it, and she stiffened when hearing the sound of robes brushing against verge on the outskirts of the camp; she had a sudden urge to jump for joy and thank every god she knew of for the fortunate sign that their long night was drawing to a close.  
 _  
Come on, Gandalf_ …

"He's right, there's nothin' wrong with a bit of raw dwarf!" The skinny troll agreed, reaching into the pile and lifting Bombur up by his legs, causing the pudgy dwarf to yelp in fear as the troll slowly lowered him closer to his mouth. " _Nice_ and _crunchy…!_ "

"N-not that one, he's _infected!_ " Bilbo cried, quick thinking causing him to spur the lie further and add, "He's got worms in his… _tubes!_ " Now this was sounding ridiculous even to his own ears.

The troll gave a look of disgust and quickly dropped Bombur so he landed unceremoniously on Oín and partially on Eäriel, causing both to grunt in pain at having a large weight dropped onto them.

"In fact they all have it, they're _infested_ with parasites! It's nasty business, I wouldn't mess with it, I really wouldn't…" Bilbo wrinkled his nose in feigned disgust.

"Did he say ' _parasites'!?_ " Oín barked.

Kili quickly exclaimed, "We don't have parasites, _you're_ the one who's got parasites!"

Oh _Valar_ … Eäriel groaned under her breath and twisted in the sack to kick Thorin hard in the knee, and when the dwarf prince shot her a glare along with a look asking why she had kicked him, she jerked her head in the direction of the hobbit and then at his nephews to return the silent exchange.

It clicked.

Thorin drew his leg back best he could in the sack's confines and kicked Kili, causing the ruckus the dwarves had begun to settle, as he looked at the trolls and silently stated the meaning behind the hobbit's ruse.

"I've got parasites as big as _my arm!_ " Oín exclaimed then.

Kili chimed in rather desperately, "Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got _huge_ parasites!"  
 _  
Of course you do_ , Eäriel rolled her eyes before a yelp escaped her as she was suddenly lifted up by the head troll's grubby fingers that held onto her; she managed to stash her dagger back into its place in her right vambrance, fighting the urge to wrinkle her nose at being so close to the troll's overall stench, silently praying to the stars that she wouldn't let her nausea get to her.

"Wha' about _this_ one? She's too pretty to be infested!" The troll asked as he held up the elleth.

Bilbo began to panic again before he met the elleth's anxious look, recognizing her silent plea to not die by being a troll's dessert, and an idea came to mind. "She's got the, um, the _Wolf's Syndrome!_ Very deadly, mind you…" He exclaimed.

Eäriel looked at the troll for a brief moment before she groaned as if in pain and let her head loll back and her tongue hang out to the side, going limp in the troll's hand, playing along and praying dawn would come soon.

"… _Such_ a shame she's got it… O-oh and you touched her too!" Bilbo finished with mock horror as he looked at the troll, causing the beast to yelp slightly in horror and toss the elf back onto the pile of dwarves, and he silently thanked the stars for that.

Eäriel grimaced at being thrown about and she had half a right mind to kill all three trolls before dawn came, seeing she had been thrown ontop of Fili; she quickly apologized to the prince and heard his muffled ' _s' okay'_ , wiggling to roll off the dwarf only to face-plant in the grass, and she wiggled again to roll onto her back and withdraw her dagger from its place to start sawing at her sack. She pretended she didn't feel his blue eyes watching her roll about like a ball only to wriggle and slightly squirm as she set to trying to cut her sack open.

Thorin had been baffled by her antics on more than one occasion in the past, though to see her rolling about was indeed a new one for him, and he smirked in bemusement at the sight. At least she was not in the troll's grasp anymore… The part of him that had softened in the time he spent with her took great relief in having her not in completely immediate danger.

"… _The dawn will take you all!_ " Gandalf's voice rang out in the graying dawn's air as he appeared at the easternmost end of the camp atop a tall boulder.

Never had she been so happy to see the wizard!

"'Oo is that?"

"No idea."

"Can we eat 'im too?"

The unfortunate trolls didn't get the chance to even do so as, with a sharp stab of his staff delivered to the boulder's top, the rock split open down the middle. Sunlight shone brilliantly through the gap and streamed into the camp, casting his light on the trolls that groaned and growled vainly in pain as they were affected, their bodies freezing up into hunched over stone statues that stood in a circle around the fire.

Bilbo gawked at the sight before looking to Gandalf; the Company gave a simultaneous cheer at their fortune.

Eäriel beamed at the wizard and silently thanked the stars, catching the smile on Thorin's face nearby and she paused to see the genuine way he smiled, and her chest ached for a moment at seeing his face soften in that manner.

It had been so long since she had seen that look in his eyes.

 **|} x {|**

Once she finished cutting through her bag, it didn't take long before she cut Thorin loose, and his nephews plus Oín and Bombur next, before they in turn helped the others down from the spit.

Eäriel found her blades and arrows were in the same place she had left them, and she finished shrugging her green tunic back on –she had stuck to wearing a gray sleeveless tunic under her normal clothes and she was happy she had stuck to it for so long—and returned her brown leather vambrances where they had been after she had stripped of her tunic earlier. She paused when turning to throw her darker olive-green vest back on at seeing it was missing, only to catch it from the wizard who had located it for her; she smiled over at her friend and pulled the last layer back on. "If you were intending to leave on purpose for a certain reason, then I must say 'well done'." She said as she slung the strap for her quiver over her shoulder and did the same for her long knives.

Gandalf glanced at the nearby troll she had stood by to redress and he gave the gray stone a light tap. "You are not as irritated as I thought you'd be." He observed.

"I learned a long time ago to take the high road, Gandalf." Eäriel shifted her weight from boot to boot, glancing over at their burglar as he was talking with Ori and she smiled wryly. "He thinks quick on his feet, I'll give 'im that." She added.

"Where did you go to if I may ask?" Thorin's voice rumbled as he approached the two, his question and eyes on the wizard.

"To look ahead." Gandalf replied simply.

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind… Rather nasty business, but all is well."

"… No thanks to your burglar."

"He had the wit to stall long enough, none of you thought to do so, did you?"

Eäriel noted the rather humbled look on his face and she looked to the trolls with a huff. "As I assumed, they came from the Ettenmoors." The question was ' _why'_.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin pondered, beginning to stroke the beard on his chin.

"Not for an age… least not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf shook his head a smidge, a frown pulling his brows together, and he imagined the elleth also sported a frown. He raised a brow as she turned away to then scale the wide back of the troll nearest them, looking at her as she stood atop the troll's tilted head and seemed to be listening.

"There must be a cave nearby, then…" Thorin trailed off to also note the elf's rather odd gesture, and as he began to open his mouth and ask what she was doing, she interrupted calmly.

"There is; not far from here, actually." Eäriel said, hopping off the troll's head to land expertly on two feet, looking at her companions, "come on; the sooner we leave this place the lighter things will be." And with that, she turned to set off in the direction of east.

Gandalf smiled wryly at seeing she was as resourceful as ever, noting the dwarf's mildly miffed huff as the latter turned to gather up the others.

* * *

 _ **an** : sorry for the delay, lads and lassies! hope the mouthful of this chap makes up for it..? also a huuuge s/o to those of you who've fav'd and followed this already, you know who you are, aaand... that's it I think. thanks guys, hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween and you know the drill I hope; later! _


	6. Castle Down, PtI

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* * *

' _Nasty business'_ seemed a forewarning term for going through this dank and putrid cave.

Eäriel covered her mouth and nose best she could with her hand as she kept to the front of the line, her nose wrinkling at the stench of the cave; unsurprisingly, the dwarves didn't enjoy the stink either.

"Be careful what you touch!" Gandalf advised the dwarves, keeping behind the elf as the dwarf prince followed them both, as some of the dwarves –Thorin included—lit torches to help light their way further into the cave.

Glancing back when hearing Glóin ask Nori for a shovel, she rolled her eyes at seeing the dwarves had stumbled upon a chest of gold and proceed to bury it where they found it to keep it safe, and the elf shook her head a smidge in mild exasperation; she could live to be four thousand years old and she would never understand why the Valar had crafted dwarves to have such a love for gold… Catching something metallic catch and wink from the amber glow of Thorin's torch behind her pulled the elf from her thoughts, and she paused to look at the side to find a barrel holding what appeared to be swords of different variety.

Curiosity had always been a curse for her, for as long as she could remember.

Eäriel broke away to examine the barrel's contents, noting first of all the copious amounts of cobwebs on the unused swords, secondly that there was a long sword that looked tall compared to the sword next to it. She withdrew the tall sword and marveled at the make of it as well as its handle; this sword looked as if it had not been used in decades. She turned to the wizard who had followed she and Thorin and gave the sword to him, earning a slight nod from her friend as he dusted the handle to better examine the sword. She looked at the sword Thorin had withdrawn, the shorter blade that resembled a thin cleaver more than a normal sword, smiling a little at watching him marvel at its make.

"These swords weren't made by any troll…" Thorin mused as he noted the blade's cleaver-esque form.

Gandalf agreed, "Nor were they made by any human smith… These are from Gondolin, forged by the High-Elves of the First Age!"

Eäriel shook her head as Thorin's bearded face fell into a sore expression at the mention of elves, and she put in patiently, "can't wish for a better blade. Blades forged by elven smiths last for decades, if not centuries, Thorin." She met his eyes with a knowing look that graced her features.

Thorin felt his brow twitch at noting she sported a knowing look that more often than not got on his nerves in the past, and he made to draw his sword when spotting another longer sword in the barrel, wondering how he could have missed it… He huffed and reached past her to withdraw the third sword, turning to her with the sword on hand, "since you have such confidence." He said blandly as he presented it to her.

Eäriel's knowing look fell away to be replaced with a look of pleasant surprise at both wondering how she could have not seen this sword as well as being given a gift by the dwarf prince, and she took the sword from his hand with a nod of thanks, her slender fingers tracing over the handle in admiration. The sword was about as long as Gandalf's save an inch or two, its scabbard and handle a dark chestnut color, and the tip and hilt a medium silver; it was indeed beautiful… She stepped away from her companions to draw the sword from its scabbard vertically, the blade softly singing, to reveal a long and thin cleaver-esque blade with a finely-crafted indention near the hilt that resembled a leaf. She smiled fondly at her new sword, perking her ears as Thorin urged they continue their leave of the cave, and she returned the sword to its scabbard to quickly follow him as he led the way out.

She fastened the sword's belt buckle at her waist to make sure it wouldn't be loose, admiring the sword now and then as she followed the dwarves into daylight, and she took comfort in seeing green around her once again. She had first been given her daggers when she was young, and while her primary expertise was in archery, knife-work was a close second; only later on she came to have a soft spot for swords as great as her soft spot for knives.

Feeling eyes on her, she lifted her stare from having surveyed their exit of the cave to meet his stormy blue stare that had been watching her, and she raised a brow as their stares held to silently ask if there was something amiss.

He slightly shook his head in response, catching her brief nod, before her eyes fell on the sword he'd pilfered and her lips quirked up in a smirk as she nodded her chin a little at his new weapon. His ears turned red at noting the smug light in her paler blue orbs, her smugness falling away to be replaced with amusement, as he glared slightly.

If she was not being cheeky she was smug, and to this day it ruffled his feathers… Elves were impossible.

There was a crack of branches from the north end of the clearing that yanked both companions from their staring match, and the elf was the first to draw her bow with practiced ease that it was automatic at this point, her sharp eyes scanning the green.

"Something's coming!" Thorin alerted the others.

 **|} x {|**

"Thieves, fire, murder!" A furious cry sounded as the flying of leaves and parting of brush signaled the arrival of their unexpected guest.

Eäriel lowered her bow when recognizing the rabbit-drawn sled that skidded to a halt before them, once again pleasantly surprised with the sight of the brown-clad Istari. "Radagast!" She declared.

"Radagast the Brown!" Gandalf chimed in likewise surprise, somewhat relieved it was his friend who had found them and not anything sinister, approaching the wizard. "What on earth are you doing here?" He asked as the latter looked up at him in relief.

Thorin was, for all intents and purposes, befuddled at the arrival of the second wizard. He looked up at the elf as she had recognized the wizard firstly, a question in his eyes, before she met his searching stare with a look of amusement and a measure of thoughtfulness that shone in her face. He cocked a brow in further confusion when she shrugged innocently and smiled despite his puzzlement.

"…I had the thought, and now I've lost it! Right on the tip of my tongue it was…" Radagast said as he scrunched up his face, before the thought struck him, "Oh, it's not a thought at all; s' a silly old…" His next words were rather garbled as he had opened his mouth in the process, and the elf could make out the words ' _stick insect_ ', before Gandalf chose to be the brave one and withdraw said creature from its place on his friend's tongue.

Eäriel snorted softly at the overall-disgusted looks the dwarves and hobbit sported at the sight, and she returned her bow to its place in her quiver to approach the wizards. "You haven't changed a bit since last we met, Radagast!" She greeted the lesser wizard with a warm smile.

"Goodness, I thought I recognized you, Eäriel!" Radagast beamed at seeing the brunette elf's smiling face, and he stepped away to give her a quick embrace that she returned shortly, stepping away to sport a chiding look. "It has been years since last I saw you, and you didn't even say goodbye when you left either! You should know better than that, Wolf Child!" He said as the scene between them looked something akin to a child being scolded by their grandfather.

Eäriel's ears turned red and she could swear she heard one of the dwarves snort in amusement behind her, and she chuckled sheepishly, placing her hands up in surrender. "I know, I've been busy ever since! I apologize, my friend." She apologized.

"Radagast, you came to seek me out for something?" Gandalf asked of the wizard, earning a mildly relieved glance from the elf, as he brought his friend back from memory lane.

"Oh yes, right!" Radagast nodded and he followed Gandalf away to speak in private.

It wasn't like it was entirely private… Not with her ears, anyway…

"If I recall, the only time I've seen you look like that was when you first met my sister." Thorin commented in his low-timbre voice, causing the elf to slightly start from having been dropping eaves, and he looked on the elf with a smug look of his own.

Eäriel felt her brow twitch and she folded her arms at her chest as she acknowledged his amusement. "It's rather difficult to not be… courteous, when the other has the ability to change you into an animal." She sniffed.

" _'Wolf Child'_ seems a suitable petname for you." Thorin arched a brow in silent challenge, gauging her rather ruffled expression; he had almost forgotten how amusing it was to see her feathers ruffled.

Eäriel began to open her mouth for a retort when she felt a shift in the air, sharply looking away and to the north side of the clearing and the brush that lay between them and the Bruinen, listening hard for the source of the disturbance.

Thorin started to ask what she heard when a low baying howl cut into the once-calm morning air like a hot knife, causing the others to jump and or startle, and he looked at her again to see she drew her bow along with an arrow from her quiver.

"W-was that a wolf? Are there wolves out there?" Bilbo asked of the group, looking away from scanning the clearing to the dwarves and wizards, and lastly to the elf whose eyes were not on him and ears had perked.

Bofur clutched his pick-axe as he replied, "that was not a wolf…"

A hulking mass of fur then broke through the brush to pounce on Dwalin, giving a yelp when the elf's arrow streaked to find its mark in the overgrown beast's throat.

"Warg scouts!" Eäriel grumbled as she readied another arrow, perking up as another warg snarled as it came from the south end of the clearing to pounce on Thorin, only for the dwarf prince to sidestep the oncoming beast just as both archers let their respective arrows fly to strike the warg in the forehead.

Thorin nodded to both Kili and Eäriel, glaring at the beast, "it means an orc pack can't be far behind!" He said.

" _'Orc pack'?_ " Bilbo echoed as he had reflexively stepped closer to the elf, knowing that if he could depend on someone to defend him that wasn't a dwarf, it would be Eäriel.

Gandalf and Radagast reemerged from the brush then, and the former turned on the dwarf prince, "Who did you tell, aside from your kinsmen?" He demanded.

"Noone, I swear!" Thorin said with exasperation, looking at the dead wargs again. "What in Durin's name is going on?" He asked of the group at large, namely the wizard.

Eäriel yanked her second arrow from the dead warg near the prince. "You're being hunted… and apparently they don't wish to speak peacefully." She stated grimly, placing the second arrow in place in her bow; she met his irritated look that was meant for their newest predicament before she looked away and to the first warg she had slain. "We're dead if we linger here." She added in the same tone.

"Aye, we've got to get out of here," Dwalin agreed.

Ori and Bifur emerged from the incline where the second warg had come, "we can't, the ponies bolted!" The young dwarf said; the lone elf cursed under her breath at their luck.

"I'll draw them off!" Radagast proposed then, earning sixteen sets of eyes to look on him in surprise.

Gandalf quickly remarked per sake of his friend's life, "These are _Gundabad_ _wargs!_ "

"And these are _Rhosgobel_ _Rabbits_ …" Radagast stated as he gestured to his sled team, and he sported a confident twinkle in his eyes as he added, "I'd like to see 'em try."

 **|} x {|**

A baying howl sounded as the wargs spurred on after the sled of rabbits through the golden fields.

Gandalf poked his head around a stocky boulder and gestured to his companions to take off in the direction he flew, and the dwarves, hobbit and elf followed shortly and made sure they kept together.

Eäriel shepherded the dwarves and Bilbo as she kept to the tail of the group, an arrow in place in her bow for precaution, as she listened to the wargs and orcs giving chase to the rabbit sled; she just prayed Radagast would survive this as they would undoubtedly make it.

Radagast sped off in one direction and the Company sped off in the opposite direction to stay downwind of the wargs' noses, both parties nearly clashing on one instance when the sled went one direction with the orc pack giving chase and the odd group skidding slightly when catching the rear of the pack, before the wizard gestured they go in the opposite direction once more.

Thorin yanked Ori back behind the large boulder they had stopped by for a moment to catch their breath, watching the orc pack speed off past them after the rabbits, to which Gandalf urged they move when the pack was not within sight. "Where are you leading us?" He rumbled as he looked up at the wizard from having lingered to ask where he was taking them.

Gandalf didn't answer the dwarf and instead brushed past him to keep with the others, leaving Eäriel to pick up the tail again as Thorin ran to be alongside the elf.

Blue met blue for a second and he almost thought he saw a hint of guilt show in her eyes, but as soon as he saw it, the sooner it fled; Eäriel nodded to him and urged he resume his place at the helm.

Again the Company skidded to a halt at the base of a large and bulky boulder that covered them from sight.

Eäriel had ducked down between Kili and Thorin as the height of the boulder was shorter than her tall height by half a foot, and as she regained her breath it hitched in her throat as she then heard the sound of a set of padded paws hop onto the top of the boulder, and she flexed her grasp on her bow's metal-covered curve.

Thorin inhaled as he heard the warg and orc sniffing the air as it had seemed to catch their scent on the wind, and he looked at the elf as both sets of blue eyes met, silently urging she and his nephew dispose of the rider.

Quick and quiet.

Eäriel nodded slightly and then lightly nudged the prince at her left, meeting his brown eyes and making a gesture of him killing the warg, and she would kill the orc.

Kili nodded back and reached for one of his arrows to knock it in his bow, looking at the elleth as she mouthed " _on three_ ", and he inhaled steadily.  
 _  
One… two… three!_

With reflexes honed in her many years, Eäriel emerged first from their hiding place to let her arrow fly right for the orc's jugular, as Kili had emerged just as quickly as she had to send his arrow streaking to stab the warg right in the forehead.

The orc gave a shrill shriek of pain as his steed fell at the base of the boulder, its rider still fighting to live even as both Bifur and Dwalin hacked its body with their respective weapons until it shrieked no more.

The elf's face had paled a degree as she imagined one could hear the orc's last shrieks reverberate on the still air for hundreds of miles.

If she didn't loathe running in the open, she loathed being hunted all the more.

" ** _Run_** _!_ " Gandalf commanded, jerking her from her thoughts and back to their grim reality, as the Company wasted no time in following the wizard out on the rest of the golden fields.

Eäriel took note that they were missing one when she did a momentary headcount, whipping her head back to see the hobbit lagging behind not thirty yards, and her eyes sharpened as a stray warg appeared from out of nowhere and barreled right for the little burglar… She swore and quickly stuffed a hand into the inner folds of her left boot to withdraw the throwing knife she had been looking for, seeing the hobbit was wheezing just as the warg gained faster on his heels, and she grunted as she chucked her knife right for the beast.

A yelp sounded behind Bilbo and he looked back only for a moment to see the warg that had been on his tail had been stabbed in the forehead with a throwing knife, and he looked at the elf as she had paused to let him catch up as he sprinted to her side, wheezing out a ' _thank you_ ' as she shepherded him with her to the trio of rocks where the others had made a stand.

Thorin spotted the elf as she and the hobbit had finally rejoined them and he took relief in seeing them alive, momentarily taking note of the fluid manner the elf sported as she let an arrow fly from her bow into the unfortunate warg's maw or brain and repeated the motion, and again he was reminded of how deadly she was in battle… He shook his head and took note of the wargs and remaining orc riders as the pack fanned out to surround them.

Eäriel shouldered her bow and exchanged it for her new sword right as an eager warg rushed she and the hobbit she was shielding, and she lashed out with viciousness only exerted in neck-deep battle, ripping the warg's throat open as the blade glowed a vibrant teal color. She momentarily acknowledged it and smiled wryly at finding it truly was a finely crafted weapon.

"Where's Gandalf?" Dori exclaimed.

"He's abandoned us!" Glóin shouted.

Eäriel and Bilbo had drawn back closer to the trio of rocks behind the group, and the elf rounded on both dwarves. "Gandalf _wouldn't_ abandon his friends!" She snapped, twisting when hearing a warg's oncoming snarl from her blind spot, dealing a death blow to the beast that fell with blood flying from her swift slash at its throat.

" **Hold your ground**!" Thorin shouted a command as he brandished his new sword, causing the Company to close ranks; he once again risked a glance at the elf to see she partially shielded their burglar, a rueful smirk seeming to ghost her lips.

"This way you fools!" Gandalf called as he had emerged from between two of the three rocks behind them, causing the Company to perk up before scrambling to follow the wizard to safety.

Thorin did a headcount as eleven dwarves and one hobbit slid down into the hiding place, looking about when seeing they were missing his younger nephew. _"Kili, run!_ " He shouted as he spotted the young heir covering their escape less than fifty yards away in the golden fields, causing the brunette dwarf to turn and run towards him; he perked up when another eager warg broke rank from the orcs and other wargs to rush after the prince.

Kili narrowly dodged the warg's snapping jaws before an arrow streaked past his left cheek to hit the warg right in its gaping maw, and he heard a yelp of pain from the overgrown wolf beast as he spotted both his uncle and their elf waiting for him; spurring his feet to go faster, he barreled right for the trio of rocks and dropped down into their exit.

Eäriel lowered her bow and met the dwarf prince's surprised blue orbs with a nod of her head, before she dropped down after his nephew into the tunnel.

Thorin quickly followed, dropping back into the shade of the tunnel as a loud hunting horn sounded in the valley, perking his ears as everyone also perked up at hearing the horn.

A rueful smile pulled her lips upward as she felt relief at finding they were safe, not even minding the felled orc that had dropped into the tunnel with an arrow stuck in its jugular.

"Elves." Thorin grumbled as he had examined the arrow's fine make, dropping it in disgust.

"I can't see where the path leads, do we follow it?" Dwalin called from the back of the tunnel.

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur answered for the others, quickly following the tattooed dwarf deeper into the darkened pass.

The rest of the Company shortly followed the two with Gandalf and Bilbo at the tail; Eäriel started to follow the two stragglers when a familiar hand caught her left wrist from behind, and she momentarily stiffened before looking at him when seeing there was still unfinished matters between them.

Thorin reluctantly let go of her leather-covered wrist to follow the path with the elf infront of him. "You did not need to do that; Kili was basically safe." He began quietly.

"I would not be a good friend if I didn't feel the need to protect him, or the others." Eäriel shrugged a little, her relief that they would enter her former home's gates faltering a smidge the more she recognized her reality.

Not all would be happy to be in Rivendell.

"Thank you."

"… _'Wolf Child'_ is a name Radagast gave me, long ago, when I lived in the Woodland Realm. I was arrogant, and cocky, and rather impossible in those days."

Thorin paused at hearing her explanation, and he could almost see the wistful manner in which she smiled; his lips quirked up a smidge in response. She may as well have been describing him, as he had been in younger days.

* * *

 _ **an** : sooo since I'm feeling generous, here's another chap. hope you guys like~ ;D_


	7. Castle Down, PtII

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* * *

Eäriel looked at the way the sun touched on the various buildings of the compound, bathing the pearly white walls of the buildings amber in his glow. It seemed longer than a millennia since she had laid eyes on the elven settlement.

"The Valley of Imladris… it is known by another name in common tongue, though." Gandalf announced to the others.

"Rivendell." Bilbo said quietly in awe, and there was a smile on his face when the elf glanced at him.

Thorin turned on Gandalf with a darkened glare on his brow, "This was your plan all along, to drag us here and seek refuge with our enemy…" He growled out.

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield, and the only ill will to be found is that which you bring!" Gandalf stated.

"They will not give our quest their blessing, will they now? They'll try and prevent us from going." Thorin's glare didn't waver an inch.

Eäriel turned to him with an exasperated exhale, "We have questions that need to be answered, and unless you wish to charge on past the Misty Mountains without any sort of idea of what those runes say, then listen to me when I say that we must speak with Lord Elrond." She folded her arms at her chest and only arched a brow when he turned his glare on her.

Gandalf quickly agreed with the elf, "yes, you are quite right, Eäriel! Now then, if we want this to go smoothly then it will need to be handled with tact, and no small amount of charm… Which is why you will leave the talking to _me_."

 **|} x {|**

Thousands of years could pass and it seemed Rivendell didn't change a bit.

Lingering near the wizard as they set foot in the stone courtyard of entrance, Eäriel looked from the finely crafted stone structures of her former home to the waterfall further into the settlement that cut into the rock, a wistful smile tugging at her lips as she watched the sun's light that slowly began to diminish beyond the western horizon make the gushing river look like it was set ablaze with orange and amber.

She had played enough times with the twins to always admire the waterfalls as an elfling.

Quiet footsteps descending the stairwell that led to the rest of the settlement perked her ears and drew her out from her memories, and the elleth looked to the stairs to recognize the brunette elf. "Mithrandir!" The ellon greeted the wizard. " _We heard you crossed into the valley_." He added.

"Lindir!" Gandalf returned with a nod to the ellon.

Lindir looked on the elleth standing near the wizard and he nodded his head in a measure of respect, " _We did not believe you would return home so soon, Lady Eäriel_." He greeted her.

Eäriel felt Thorin's glare digging into her skull and chose to ignore him, returning the nod with a slight smile, " _It has indeed been a long time since we met, Lindir_." She replied in the same tongue.

"We have come to speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf said.

A brief look of uncertainty shone on the ellon's features, "My Lord Elrond is not here…" He trailed off as both he and the elleth's ears perked when a familiar hunting horn sounded, causing the Company to turn and see who was arriving, as the troop of hunters came galloping down the cliffside with the banners of Rivendell and Lord Elrond dancing in the breeze they brought with their momentum.

Eäriel smiled wryly at the return of the lord of the house, her smile faltering as the dwarves then bustled into a closed-in formation at Thorin's command, and yanked poor Bilbo into the middle as those on the outer edge bared their weapons in defense of their kinsmen. She felt her brow twitch at their overly-precautionary gesture, meeting Thorin's eyes that had swept from the oncoming party to seek and locate her as she stood alongside Gandalf, and she shook her head a smidge before looking on at the hunting party.

The hunting party's horses had slowed to a trot as they circled the Company, coming to a standstill, and it did not take an elf's senses to see the tension in the air that seemed to radiate solely from the leader of their rag-tag group; the elleth frowned softly at this and she let out the breath she had subconsciously been holding as the head of the hunting party chose to speak.

"Gandalf!" The brunette elven lord said with a smile as he recognized the gray-clad wizard.

"Lord Elrond," Gandalf returned the smile, nodding his head in respect to his friend, and continued, " _My friend, where've you been?_ " He asked.

" _We were hunting an orc pack that came up from the South_ ," Elrond replied in the same tongue as he dismounted his dark stallion. " _Slew a number of them near the Hidden Pass_ …" He trailed off as it seemed he had realized why the orcs had come so close to his home. Normally they wouldn't dare cross the Bruinen, as they knew well enough that their trespassing would be dealt with in a swift and efficient manner. He stepped forward to embrace the wizard, drawing away and adding in common tongue, "Strange for orcs to come so close to our borders! Some _thing_ or some _one_ must have drawn them near." He lifted what appeared to be one of the beast's crude blades and handed it to Lindir.

"That _might've_ been us…" Eäriel lamented dryly, seeing the elven lord's green eyes look to her after addressing the wizard, and she smiled as their eyes met before she stepped forward to embrace her former guardian.

Elrond held fast to the brunette elleth, relieved she stood before him and exasperated that it was because of she and her friends they had had to deal with the ' _pests'_ , drawing away and reluctantly letting her go. "Why does that _not_ surprise me?" He smiled ruefully at her, causing the elleth to shrug sheepishly.

Thorin glared over at the she-elf who seemed overly familiar with the elven lord, adding that to the string of questions he would ask when he got the chance to be alone with her, and straightened where he stood as the elven lord turned to greet him.

"Welcome Thorin, son of Thráin." Elrond greeted the dwarf prince with a nod of respect.

"I do not believe that we've met before." Thorin rumbled in a brittle tone.

The elven lord stated patiently, "You have your grandfather's bearing; I knew Thrór when he ruled Under the Mountain."

"That a fact? He made no mention of _you_." The dwarf prince returned stiffly.

Eäriel looked on her former guardian as he seemed miffed with the dwarf prince's rudeness, if his tone he used to address Lindir and instruct him to prepare food and wine was any indication, his gaze never leaving Thorin's.

"What does he say… _does he give us insult!?_ " Glóin growled out as he stepped forward, causing the other dwarves to bristle in anticipation.

"He is offering food and wine, Master Glóin." Eäriel translated patiently, as fourteen sets of eyes fell on her, but her eyes were on the dwarf prince whose stormy blue eyes held to her piercing blue stare. She broke stares with him to look to her former guardian and smile exasperatedly, before she turned to leave the courtyard and ascend the stairs.

 **|} x {|**

She had, after being checked for injuries and then being given a bath afterward to wash off the troll stink, been ' _coerced'_ into dressing up for dinner. It was her first night back home, after all, and she had to look her best.

This was worse than the time Elrond had scolded she and the twins for breaking three vases in one week.

Her male garb was a far cry from the grayish teal gown she wore, the fabric lightly clinging to her willowy body, and the sleeves that reached her elbow… She hadn't had to wear a dress in so long she had almost forgotten how much she hated them.

She paused shy of rounding the corner that led to the outdoor dining room, knowing by the voices coming from her destination that the otherwise-males of her party were already seated and were speaking amongst each other of the various things of their temporary resting place, knowing that without a doubt she would be received with surprise; inhaling through her nostrils, she exhaled softly before entering the dining room.

It seemed the first to notice the female's change in wardrobe was the company's burglar, and shortly after the princes and soon the remainder of their party noticed, some of the younger dwarves slightly gaping at her beauty while the older dwarves took brief respectful glances before turning to whatever conversation they had begun.

Eäriel gave a slight nod to the ellon who helped her into her chair that had been reserved at the head small table with her former guardian already seated and the wizard seated at her left, and she didn't have to look at her companion to know there was a rather surprised and amused expression on his wise face, her ears slightly reddening before she glanced up at him. "Not a word." She muttered, looking away from his blue eyes to take a generous sip of the wine in her goblet.

Gandalf smiled innocently at being warned by the elleth, knowing she was receiving glances from the dwarves as this was the first time they saw her out of her guise as a warrior and as a beautiful she-elf, straightening slightly in his chair as the dwarf king came last to the small table with the two elves and he already seated.

Poking at her food with a fork, the she-elf's ears gave a twitch when she heard the chair placed across from her be pulled out for a familiar dwarf to sit down for dinner, and she paused slightly as she knew without looking that he was the last to be seated. _Just one look_ , a small snide voice in her head egged, and she lowered her fork to take another sip of wine; her gaze momentarily drifted from the dark wine in her goblet to the dwarf before her and she was met with a pair of blue eyes the muddled color of storm clouds and clear skies that had probably never left her form as the normally-narrowed orbs held fast to her paler blue stare.

Eäriel silently cursed the shiver that raced up her spine caused by just staring at him… Why did he do this to her…?

"…I understand you acquired a new weapon on your way here, Eäriel." Elrond's voice yanked both elf and dwarf from their staring match, and the elven lord was not surprised in the slightest to see the odd couple blink once at being jarred from where their minds had strayed to.

"Ah, yes, I nearly forgot to mention!" Eäriel smiled quickly at him with a meek light in her eyes, perking up a smidge when Lindir approached his side with her new sword on hand, and she momentarily took pride in how grand the sword looked now that it was polished and cleaned of both warg blood and residual cobwebs.

Elrond drew the sword out a bit from its brown scabbard to marvel at how fine it looked, and he traced a finger along the leaf-shaped indentation as a thoughtful smile fell on his face. "Hathelas is the name of this sword, named for its teal color it took on when in the presence of orcs and goblins; it belonged to the Captain of the Guard of the High King of Noldor, now passed…" He returned the sword to its scabbard before nodding to Lindir who nodded slightly in return before returning it to its new master. "It should serve you well." He added as he smiled wryly at the she-elf as her eyes lit up at receiving her cleaned weapon. He looked at the wizard, "However did you come by these?" He asked.

Gandalf took a sip of wine before answering, "We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road, prior to be ambushed by orcs that is!"

Both Eäriel and Thorin shot him a simultaneous glance; "And just _what_ were you doing on the Great East Road?" Elrond asked curiously as he spared a brief glance at the odd couple with them.

Thorin then politely excused himself from the table, and no sooner did Eäriel do the same as she took her sword with her to conveniently leave Gandalf and the foot he stuck into his throat to explain things to Elrond. The dwarf looked on the she-elf again as she soon found a seat with Bilbo and Balin at the second table, finding it very difficult for him to let his eyes leave her willowy form and her long brown mane that was kept from her face in braids and happened to frame her face in a nice way… He silently cursed both whatever magic she had used to make herself look so beautiful as well as his low resistance to her charm. Or whatever it was that she had that left him wondering why he was angry with her in the first bloody place.

"…descendants of the House of Durin; they're noble, decent folk! They're surprisingly punctual…" Gandalf was saying, pulling her from listening to the harpist playing a rather soothing tune a bit close to the tables.

Eäriel smirked thoughtfully at his words and valiantly fought a snort of derision; Gandalf had a funny way of viewing ' _noble'_ and ' _decent'_.

"Change the tune, will you; feel like I'm at a funeral!" Nori complained as he poked at his ear with his pinkie.

Oín chimed in despite the fact that he had stuffed a napkin into his ear piece to drown out the noise, "Did someone die?" He asked.

Eäriel shook her head, perking up when Bofur assured the boys that he would ' _liven things up'_ , and he proceeded to hop onto the table that he plus the princes and Dwalin sat at to start a song. She briefly looked over at the wizard and elven lord to see a most unamused look on the latter's face and she felt her lips quirk up in amusement, looking at the dwarves with her as some of them began flicking food at Bofur before they began flinging rolls about, and she laughed as she clapped in tune with the beat of the song. She momentarily looked away when feeling a set of eyes fall on her and she looked past the tables to the lone tree feet away to meet his blue stare that had softened in amusement towards the ruckus his kinsmen had caused; her eyes softened slightly and she shrugged her shoulders in defeat, grinning up at Bofur as he accepted the applause from his audience.

 **|} x {|**

A yawn escaped her as she rubbed the back of her neck, momentarily wondering how long of time it had been since she had slept so well.

It was the second day of their stay in the elven settlement and she knew the dwarves hadn't up and left –they'd be too tired to fathom it in her opinion, as they had spent most of the last few days in not-so-welcome circumstances—if their snores she had heard about an hour ago were any indication, and she decided to indulge in the fact that she was still treated like if she had never left home as she came into the open dining room where breakfast was to be had.

Before she could reach the table however, she took note of the few dwarves already seated and recognized the hobbit was also present as they ate quietly with sleep in their eyes, and she smiled fondly at that. "Good morning, lads." She greeted her companions, being received with a few nods, as she approached the table to take a seat next to Bilbo and Dori who was at his right.

"How'd you sleep, lass?" Balin asked from his seat across from the elleth with Ori, deciding to be the polite one this morning, as the good night's sleep had left him feeling content.

"Very well, actually; sorry I didn't camp with you lot, I didn't think Elrond would give me a room while we were here." Eäriel smiled at him and gave a slight nod.

Bilbo stifled a yawn as he looked at the elleth, "You've been here before, then?" He asked.

"It's been a long time since I have, but it's difficult to forget a place as beautiful as Rivendell, isn't it?" She chuckled, starting to eat her eggs.

The hobbit couldn't disagree one bit with her, and he slightly jumped when the doors of the dining room were forced open, looking about before finding twin brunette elves at the doorway with matching looks of surprise on their faces.

"I told you she was here!" One ellon said to the other before they both raced to where the she-elf sat and proceeded to yank her up from the chair with a yelp of surprise.

"I'm not blind, I can see that!" The second ellon remarked as they both sandwiched the she-elf in an embrace.

"As much as I've missed you two, I'm trying to eat breakfast!" The elleth snapped indignantly from her place between the brothers, and she managed to shirk out of their grip – aware she was the center of attention in the room—and placed her hands at her hips as she looked on her siblings. "Can't I have a minute of peace _without_ you two bursting in so noisily?" She asked exasperatedly.

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged a look between each other before replying in one accord, " **Not in this house**."

"It's too damned early for you to do that…" Eäriel rubbed her hand over her face with a shallow exhale. "Where's Uncle, I figured he would've mentioned you two were skulking about when he normally sends you off?" She wondered, imagining he had already told the boys she was visiting and had accidentally let them loose on her already-thin patience.

"He's busy," Elrohir answered first, smirking at he and his brother's accomplishment of leaving her unnerved as they had done in the past when growing up.

"He's having Lindir and some of the other servants clean up the Sacred Fountain; he said something about it ' _being defiled_ ' around sunrise…" Elladan finished with an innocent shrug, also smirking, and not missing the slight twitch exchanged between the three dwarves present.

Eäriel caught the same simultaneous twitch between the dwarves and silently put two and two together before she felt her lips quirk up in amusement, mentally reminding herself to congratulate the dwarves on their accomplishment, and she shook her head. "Could've at least warned me I would be kissing any hope of tranquility goodbye…" She muttered.

"Who's kissing who?" A familiar low-timbre voice wondered as they entered the dining room, making her slightly jump before the twins looked past her at the owner of the voice, as said dwarf looked between the trio of elves with curiosity.

"Master Dwarf," Eäriel cleared her throat, silently cursing him for his _completely-on-time_ timing, and she exhaled slightly to turn to him and gesture to her brothers, "Where are my manners? Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Lord Elrond, allow me to introduce you to Thorin Oakenshield." She silently prayed to every god she knew that her brothers would not embarrass her.  
 _  
Even when she knew they would_.

"Elrohir," the older twin gave a slight bow of courtesy to the dwarf.

"And Elladan." The younger twin mimicked his brother's gesture, before they both straightened simultaneously and smiled, " **the pleasure is ours**!"

Thorin could see why the elleth was scolding these two; they eerily reminded him of his own nephews… "Likewise." He at last turned his sights onto the elleth and dipped his head down briefly in greeting, "Good morning, Milady." His eyes lifted from beneath his brow to acknowledge the slight flaring of her nostrils at his sudden formality.

Eäriel schooled her face into neutrality and folded her arms. "It is indeed a good morning, Master Dwarf." She would not cower or concede to him, not so long as she could help it… She tilted her head sweetly before turning to retake her seat, watching the twins take their seats on her side of the long oval table and before she could take her seat she took note of the dwarf king as he held her chair out for her, cocking a thin brow at his gentlemanly gesture some part of her was flattered by before she obliged and allowed him to push her seat forward.

Both sets of blue eyes met and held for a moment that may as well have been an hour before she nodded slightly in thanks, watching him take a seat at her left, before she steered her attention back to her breakfast.

"So you are Thorin Oakenshield, then?" Elladan spoke up, seeing his sister's slight twitch from the other side of the dwarf; both he and Elrohir could obviously see the tension between the elleth and dwarf lord, and what was life without a bit of fun?

Thorin nodded slightly as he was given a plate of food from one of the servants, "Aye, though it seems Eäriel has never mentioned you two before today." He replied.

" _Muinthel_ , how could you?" Elrohir looked to his sister with hurt.

"That's just rude to not speak so highly of your…" Elladan began to agree.

" _Cousins_ , yes!" Eäriel laughed weakly, smiling at Thorin before she looked on the twins and gave them a sharp look they understood to mean that she would gut them both if they divulged information she had yet to speak of to the dwarf between them, and she pushed her chair out to dismiss herself from breakfast, speaking to her brothers in rather sharp elvish as her smile had fallen a smidge in seriousness. "Please excuse us, gentlemen, for my _dearest cousins_ and I must speak in private…" She smiled briefly at the dwarves and hobbit at the table as both brothers stood as well, before she ushered them out of the dining room and away from the room.

"Ow, not so harsh…" Elladan complained as she held fast to his and his brother's scruffs.

"If I wanted you two to spill everything at breakfast, I would've asked beforehand…" Eäriel declared, having ushered her brothers to her room that wasn't so far from the dining room and closed the door behind their entrance, scowling at the twins as they took a seat on her made bed. "Valar save me from mortification." She sighed as she rubbed a hand over her face and began pacing before the twins.

"You've not told them about everything then, have you?" Elrohir decided to ask as it was evident she was nervous, if the hasty hand that ran through her brown hair and her pacing was not enough of an indication.

"Not yet, no… Didn't get the chance to do it yesterday either, mostly because we were exhausted after running through the Bruinen to get here safely." Eäriel replied with a slightly weary sigh, pausing in pacing to look at her brothers and wonder at large, "I still don't know when I'll be able to tell him about it."

" _Muinthel_ , come on, you're the sharpest tongue this far west of the Misty Mountains." Elrohir reminded after sharing a brief look with his twin.

Elladan agreed at seeing this issue left their sister at odds with her friends, "if anyone can reason with those dwarves, it's you. _Ada_ always said you could be a real diplomat if you didn't enjoy swordplay before anything."

Eäriel's slender fingers finished running through the thick locks and she exhaled slowly as she deemed her brothers were right. "Uncle is never wrong, either." She smiled wryly, shuffling to sit down between them on the bed with a slight sigh. "When you two aren't trying to get us in trouble, your comfort is very endearing." She added with a fond smile to her siblings.

"That was _almost_ a compliment." Elladan chuckled as he slung an affectionate arm around her shoulders, making her laugh.

"' _Almost'_ is the word, _muindor_." Elrohir smirked at his brother and lightly jabbed him, looking at their sister before asking, "so _that_ is the infamous Thorin Oakenshield." He arched a brow.

Eäriel made a face, "Aye…?"

"I'd hope he's treating our dear sister well, don't you think, 'Dan?" Elrohir asked of his twin.

"Hope so, he seems like a right piece of work." Elladan lamented, raising a brow when the she-elf pinched her nose.

"You have _no_ idea…" Eäriel huffed.

" _Does_ he treat you well, then?" Elladan asked of his sister.

"As well as can be expected." Eäriel answered, pausing for a moment to smile thoughtfully as she added, "He's compassionate, though, beneath the scowls and gruff tone."

Elrohir shared a look with his brother, smiling with an affectionate nudge, "Seems he fancies you." He mused.

Eäriel felt her cheeks warm and she scowled at her brother, "What's that for?" She wondered curiously.

"Lindir mentioned he couldn't seem to take his eyes off you yesterday, dressed up prettily in that gown, smiling and all with his nephews…" Elladan answered thoughtfully, seeing her cheeks redden more, and he smiled as well.

"He, I… I think you two need to get your ears checked." Eäriel huffed indifferently as she straightened from her bed, shuffling to her door. "Come on, I'm sure Uncle will want to see you two about something or another, and I don't want him thinking we're concocting some scheme or something in my room…" She urged.

The twins shared another look before smiling ruefully at their sister's stubbornness, straightening to follow her leave, "If he does fancy you, I'm pretty sure he won't be angry when you tell him the truth." Elrohir said as he looked at her.

Eäriel looked at her brother's murky green eyes for a moment before she smiled a little and nodded, embracing her brothers tight, "I've missed you two." And she did, even though she didn't know how their journey would turn out.

She only prayed she would see her brothers after they took the Mountain.

 **|} x {|**

As she had believed, they –that is to say Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin and Balin plus she—met with Elrond regarding the runes on the map later that evening when the moon was halfway high in the starry night.

Eäriel lingered with Bilbo at the tail of the group as Elrond led them to a small ledge of a cliff that was surrounded by the stone of the settlement where he stopped short of a platform made of crystal, and she was momentarily awestruck at the way the moonlight shone so beautiful and bright in so small a place, let alone that the light all-but blinded them even if the moon was yet full.

"…Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield, for the same moon shines on us tonight." Elrond was saying, pulling her from her observations as he momentarily looked at the dwarf lord before he read from the map, " _'Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole._ '" He glanced to the side when seeing the elleth briefly look to the dwarves with the beginning signs of a frown furrowing her brow.

" _'Durin's Day'?_ " Bilbo asked, turning to Balin.

Gandalf explained, "it is the start of the dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn and first sun of winter appear in the sky together."

"This is ill news," Thorin commented as he stroked his beard pensively, looking to the wizard, "summer is passing, and Durin's Day will soon be upon us."

"We still have time," Balin assured, noticing he was not the only one to give the dwarf lord a concerned glance.

"Time, for what?" Bilbo asked again.

"To find the entrance; we have to be standing in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time… then and only then, can the door be opened." Balin explained, albeit his anxiety towards the hastened time span was more subtle than his friend's.

"So _this_ is your purpose, to enter the mountain?" Elrond's voice pulled the five from their predicament, and his adoptive daughter's lips pursed at being found out whereas the remaining four froze for a second.

Thorin's eyes narrowed slightly and he asked quietly, "What of it?"

Elrond replied cryptically, "there are some who would not deem it _wise_." He handed the map back to the dwarf lord.

"What do you mean?" Gandalf asked, being received with a knowing sort of expression in the elven lord's green stare that fell on him.

"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-Earth… Eäriel, may I have a word in private?" Elrond stated before looking to the lone elleth.

Eäriel's face fell a degree before she nodded, and the dwarf lord caught the flaring of her nostrils again in anticipation, before she watched Gandalf usher the trio back to the main halls. She lifted a hand to run fingers through her hair she had let free for the evening as the quartet's steps faded into the corridors leading away from the ledge. "Whatever you have to say, I imagine you'll wish to make it quick, as you have other guests waiting for your arrival don't you?" She wondered as she looked at her former guardian.

"Your perceptive mind has yet to dull, even after a millennia." Elrond huffed slightly, placing his arms at his back as he paced. "Elenathiel would be proud."

"What is it you wish to say, Uncle?" The elleth sighed slightly, pretending her shoulders didn't hunch at the mention of her mother.

The elven lord paused to look at her squarely and begin, "Very well, since you are being short then I will return in like; you know that if you step past the Misty Mountains you will undoubtedly cross into Thranduil's territory, as you once did long ago, and I cannot protect you if you plan to follow these dwarves past the mountains." He said evenly.

"I am aware of that, thank you, I knew the consequences of following the dwarves to reclaim their homeland." The elleth remarked flatly, folding her arms at her chest and fighting off the bristle that rose up her spine, "I was not the one who deemed that union ' _wise'_ , was I now?" She added tartly.

"It was your mother's wish that you make an alliance with your kindred in the east, and I would not be honoring her wish if I let you go gallivanting with thirteen dwarves off to a fate that I cannot ensure will be safe…" Elrond reminded sharply.

"I am nearly three thousand years old, Uncle, I don't need you to protect me as you did after my mother sailed to Valinor… My life is my own, and not a soul on Middle-Earth will tell me where to go or who to befriend. You don't believe in Thorin's quest, I know you don't, but I do… And I cannot abandon him now, I will not." Eäriel stated defiantly, nostrils flaring in irritation, before she drew away to stride back down the corridor in which the others had passed through.

 **|} x {|**

She exhaled softly in relief once she believed she had put enough corridors between she and her former guardian, glancing to the moonlight that was gentle in the way it touched the pillars of the outer corridor she had slipped into, and it seemed her mood began to settle the longer her eyes rested on the moonlight.

It wasn't like this was the first time they had argued, she would admit, and a wry smile tugged at her lips at the thought of when she had left home the first time; gods that had been one argument she doubted she could ever forget… She straightened from having leaned her hip against the wall to continue to where the dwarves had stationed a campfire in one of the alcoves. Her kin would think her mad for doing what she had been doing the last span of decades, befriending the dwarves whose home had been yanked from their grasp by a dragon and finding she enjoyed their company moreso than her own race's company, but after her argument with Elrond she didn't care.

She knew this is what her father would have wanted if he were still living, and her mother would not care what she did so long as she was safe and happy… And she liked to think she was doing them proud.

Her sharp ears heard his heavier footsteps that had been approaching her from behind one corner behind her before he decided to voice his presence, and she paused only yards away from the fire's amber glow, turning to look on the dwarf lord as he had also stopped shy of her by a foot or so.

Instead of resistance or defiance as he had expected of her, the she-elf only looked at him with a slight arch of her brow as her eyes held his, silently asking if he wished to speak in private. He shook off the surprise towards her blasé expression and nodded, gesturing to the small corridor he had come out from that led to a more secluded alcove, and she slightly nodded in return before they turned into the corridor with he in the lead.

Eäriel looked to the moonlight that seemed to reach the alcove he had located for them to speak without intrusion, noting her light softly bathed the open alcove in a faded white hue, before she noted he was silently chomping at the bit to demand of her the rather strange and awkward air between them for the last two days.

"Would you care to explain yourself?" Thorin asked, slightly surprising her as his low-timbre voice had quieted in what she believed signaled that he wished to approach this peaceably rather than bark at her as she had expected, folding his arms at his chest as he looked up at her from under his brow.

"About?" shrugged Eäriel, silently ruffled that he had behaved unexpectedly with her.

"Don't play the fool, I know you're more clever than that…" The dwarf's voice rose a degree before he reigned in his irritation with her and he exhaled shortly through his nostrils, scowling slightly as he continued in a quieter voice, "You once told me that you hailed from the Woodland Realm, yet here Lord Elrond treats you like his own, and your… ' _cousins_ ' treat you like you're their sister. I am at a loss to a proper reason to explain this, save the notion that you've lied to me for nearly a century."

She had also folded her arms and looked to the moonlight bouncing off the marble pillar he leaned against, before replying just as he finished speaking, "I have not lied to you once, and I don't intend on doing so for however long we are friends… I just didn't tell you about it. There's a difference." She caught the flaring of his nostrils before she exhaled shakily, stepping away to face the moonlight with her hands at her sides. " _Ada_ was killed when I was a child, and Mum was so consumed with grief she sailed to the Undying Lands, leaving a very lonely and angry elfling in the care of my father's oldest friend. Elrond raised me with his three children, and my life actually seemed happy for once. I knew I had kin in the Woodland Realm and I decided to seek them out, about a thousand years ago; stayed with them until six years after Erebor was sacked, and well…" She looked at him to see he was processing all she told him behind his inquisitive blue stare that met her wistful gaze, and she shrugged again, "You know the rest, don't you?"

Thorin looked up at her as she was looking at the moon's light, and for a moment he took in her beauty that looked moreso ethereal in the moonlight, as if she were one of the constellations incarnate… He asked quietly, "Why did you leave everything, whatever life you could have had with your kin, to help us… to help me?"

"My father had aspired to bring peace between dwarves and elves, but as he didn't live to see that dream, why not me?" Eäriel smiled dryly, rubbing her arm as she turned to him and added, "Besides, if I had wanted to run and accept defeat towards ever achieving peace with you and your kin, I would have already done it wouldn't I?"

Well she wasn't wrong, he would admit that… "I almost thought you were happy, being surrounded by your family again, that perhaps you wouldn't wish to go on…" Thorin trailed off as, once again he blamed his softness towards her, he noted her shoulders hunched slightly at his assumption. "Eäriel…"

"I do love my family, but I made a promise to help you first, and I don't enjoy breaking a promise either. Besides, I'm sure you're as tired of this place as I am, and if we want to reach the Mountain before Durin's Day we shouldn't waste more time." Eäriel stated, seeming to return to her usual confident and collected self, with a smile tugging at her lips.

She didn't explain why the thought of staying in Rivendell made her uncomfortable, and he imagined she had had enough of an experience to not be questioned further, so he decided to ask that at a more opportune time. Thorin tilted his head a smidge in agreement, looking up at her, "And you're quite sure you didn't learn to read minds while with the wizard?" He asked.

The smile fell on her lips and her eyes warmed before she chuckled quietly, "If I were able to read your mind, we would have left sooner." She remarked.

* * *

 _ **an** : sorry for the delay, guys, idk if you hate my guts for making you wait so long... i've been busy trying to wrap up my Robin Hood fic, if anyone is curious on that (or if anyone has decided to be kind and generous and review this thing?)... elsewise, enjoy :)_


	8. Into the Hills We Go

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* * *

A hollow ' _swish_ ' sounded when the elvish blade was swung in an outward arc before it was lowered a degree; the elleth flexed her grasp on the sword's brown handle and noted once again that the sword was light when held.

 _Perhaps Uncle was right after all_ , she thought as she smiled a little at her new weapon, letting her arm go slack as she turned to lift the brown scabbard for her sword as she had let it rest against a small boulder and return the blade to its sheath. She looked at the way they had come and gave a shallow sigh through her nose.

Sneaking their way out of the settlement had been relatively easy, given they had up and left an hour before dawn had come; where the dwarves had pilfered the meat they had taken for the journey she hadn't had much of a clue, though she had followed their example and taken another stock of arrows from the armory just in case and tucked them into her quiver with what arrows remained from the chase. And it was only two days later that they (the dwarves, hobbit and herself) felt they could relax as they had put enough uneven terrain between they and Rivendell, continuing on through the grass-covered terrain that would lead deeper into the mountain passes come the next day, hence explaining why the Company had decided to rest for the night before they were to cross over the Misty Mountains further east.

"I am sure Gandalf stalled long enough so we would be undetected when we left." Rumbled the familiar voice of the dwarf lord from their campfire not far from where she had strayed, causing the elleth to be pulled from her thoughts.

Looking at him over her shoulder, she was pleasantly surprised to find he had sought her company with a bowl of stew on hand; that would explain the lovely scent she had smelled for the last few hours… Her stomach grumbled at the thought, and the elleth turned to her companion. "S' not very proper for an esteemed king to willingly serve a company member." She returned calmly, and when he quirked a brow at her words her lips quirked upward with a smirk.

Thorin huffed dryly, "just eat; we're to head deeper into the mountains come tomorrow, and I'm sure cheek won't replenish your strength." Not that he believed she lacked in strength, if at all; if she was not physically she was emotionally strong, as strong as any dwarven woman he knew, and he had not ceased to admire that of her.

"Suppose you're making up for the… tension, between us of late, then," Eäriel wondered as she heeded his words and sat down by the boulder, patting the grass at her left for him to join her, and accepting the bowl of stew as he shortly sat down with her in the grass.

"As perceptive as you are, it's rather annoying for you to constantly remind me of it." The dwarf lord made a face, his already-reddened ears tingling when she chuckled softly between gulping a few helpings of stew.

The elleth's brightened eyes met his with a cheeky light, and she wiped her mouth with the side of her left forearm. "Yet miraculously you seem to be back to normal, _mellonin_." She jested gently, taking another gulp of stew and swallowing before asking with a slight nod of her chin at the others who were beginning to sleep off their meal, "don't tell me Nori was the only dwarf who pilfered the meat from the kitchens." She added.

Her eyes met his with a thin brow raised and he felt a smirk tugging at his lips, before he looked at the fire's amber and orange glow, and said quietly, "then I won't."

"I claim no responsibility if Uncle remembers that little tidbit in the future." Eäriel snorted softly and smirked back after finishing her stew. "And while on that topic, I must congratulate you lot for ' _defiling'_ the Sacred Fountain… The twins and I tried that a month after the fountain was installed, and it would've worked if Uncle didn't catch us." She looked at him squarely, her face seeming blasé if he didn't see the smile in her piercing eyes.

Thorin shook his head with an amused smile on his bearded face, hearing her laugh quietly, and he even afforded a chuckle at the thought of a younger elleth getting into such trouble with her brothers before they both lapsed into a pocket of companionable silence.

Reclining slightly on the boulder as best she could without feeling uncomfortable, Eäriel tilted her head up to look at the clear night's velvety blackness and the hundreds upon thousands of stars that dotted the blanket. She smiled thoughtfully as once again she was reminded that seeing the stars clearly without civilizations or other distractions was a main reason she had avoided staying in one place for too long, within the last thousand-plus years, and a soft sigh she hadn't known she had been withholding escaped her as she was left to marvel at the stars.

"I had actually sought your company because I wished to ask you something." Thorin spoke, low voice pensive and rather full with both curiosity as well as dejection, and he watched her lower her head slightly from staring at the dotted heavens to arch a brow at him as if to silently gesture he continue; he traced a finger along the key he had kept around his neck by a tether, speaking carefully, "The last night we were in Rivendell, I overheard Gandalf and Elrond speaking amongst each other, with the latter reinstating the general belief that I will be just like my grandfather, Thrór… He believes I will also succumb to gold-sickness, like my forebears." When she remained silent, he continued, "As if it could be any more insulting, he then asked Gandalf if this quest would not also put your life in danger…"

"What all did he say?" Her voice was a whisper as it passed her lips, and he glanced at her to see she was looking at the campfire again.

His stomach slightly lurched before he answered in a quiet tone, "He believes I will be responsible for whatever should befall ' _his daughter'_ , that because you are so adamant this quest may be the death of you." He looked at her again as he noted her shoulders that had hunched a little, and as doubt began to gnaw at his subconscious once more, he kept his blue eyes on her. "You don't feel the same… do you?" He asked softly.

A sharp and rather strangled sigh escaped her, and the elf slightly bared her teeth in anger. "And here I was beginning to feel _guilty_ for not saying goodbye, for leaving on bad terms once again…" A small noise akin to a growl bubbled in her throat before she lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose and moan slightly. " _Valar_ , Thorin… I… I don't know how to begin to apologize to you, for what he said, for even thinking he had softened up since I had left a thousand years ago!" Her voice slightly wavered if she didn't run slender fingers through her brown hair and lower her head in shame.

Rather surprised and a bit confused that she was apologizing for her former guardian, Thorin exhaled shortly, "You shouldn't apologize for what he said, Eäriel, they were not your words… And I am sure your thoughts were not the same, either." He reasoned.

"Of course not! I would never believe such lies, _not_ about you…" Eäriel growled, looking at him and he could see the angered tears that defiantly stood in her piercing gaze, before she silently gulped to regain her composure and spoke softly, "Believe me when I say that _you_ , Thorin Oakenshield, are _never_ to blame for what I do with my life." Oddly a smile started to form on her lips as she added with renewed strength in her every word, "I believe in you, that you won't make the mistakes your forefathers did, that you _will_ overcome the same evil… I believe in you, Thorin."

The sensation seemed like if it had been revived from the dead, as he had only felt it once decades after their odd alliance was struck, but Thorin's heart did an odd flip-flop in response towards the she-elf; the compassionate and hopeful she-elf… Her words rang in his ears for what felt like years before he cleared his throat and nodded his head, "I do not know how to ask you to forgive me, for doubting your loyalty since we stepped foot in Rivendell, but I am honored by your claim." And it was true he was honored, and rather humbled, even if her words were seen as nothing shy of a fool's hope.

Eäriel held his rather humbled blue stare and her gaze softened, before she smiled fondly. "Reminding me why I am here on this mad venture is enough in my eyes." She replied.

A smile tugged at his lips and Thorin nodded slightly; that was fine with him.

 **|} x {|**

The heavy downpour dug into her back, further dampening the green cloth of her hooded cloak, as the howling winds nipped at her exposed face. Silently and vainly asking the gods why they seemed to take her uncle's side on the matter, the she-elf wiped her face of rain and blinked back the drops that determinedly tried to blind her, her pointed ears already accustomed to the low snarls and claps of thunder that echoed about the mountains.

It was only the first day into their trek through the mountains' narrow paths and already she felt this was one of the worst downpours she had experienced in her years of traveling. And while she was flattered he sought her aid despite the fact that he or any of the younger dwarves could see well in the weather conditions, she considered turning about to clock Thorin for deeming she lead the way further into the mountains because her elven eyes were the sharpest.

She was cold, drenched, and honestly wanted nothing more than to knock some form of sense into the dwarf king's thick skull.

Sharp ears hearing a yelp of fear behind them from amidst the other dwarves, she halted slightly to look over her shoulder to see Bofur yanking Bilbo by the sleeve onto the more stable part of the path as he had nearly fallen over the slippery edge. " _Thorin!_ We must find shelter!" Eäriel exclaimed as she made her voice be heard against the winds, frowning as she hurriedly wiped her eyes again before meeting his blue stare.

Reluctantly conceding to reason, Thorin nodded his chin before turning to relay the message to their companions, "we've got to find **shelter**!"

" _Look out!_ " Dwalin bellowed a warning.

Everyone then looked at the oversized chunk of mountain that had been hurled to collide with the higher shelves of mountain above them, causing a shower of shards to descend on the Company, to which they hugged the mountainside wall for dear life so as to not get hit with the rock.

"This is no _storm_ , it's a _thunder battle! Look!_ " Balin cried as he pointed to the hulking figure of rock that emerged from the very mountainside across them, to which a loud groan sounded when a second mountain giant came to life behind them from the same side of the mountains, and proceeded to chuck another boulder at the first giant.

"Bless me! The stories are true; _giants! Stone giants!_ " Bofur declared in shock.

" **TAKE COVER**!" Eäriel and Thorin yelled in chorus, perking up as the giants began to fight amongst each other, and the second giant sent a rock-fist careening into the first giant's jaw, sending its head streaking to hit the higher shelves of their mountainside. The lone elf flinched at the loud noise that seemed to reverberate through her very bones, yelping slightly when the dwarf lord pulled her down to shield her head with his arm, closing her eyes tight as she heard the stone shards falling around them like a shower of pebbles.

Eäriel opened her eyes when the familiar sound of rain thrummed in her ears, and she met Thorin's stare as his eyes silently searched hers as if asking if she was all right; she nodded slightly and afforded a quick smile, seeing relief steal into his gaze, before she drew away to wipe rain from her brow.

Thorin's relief was short-lived, however, as the path beneath them began to crumble and split, causing both he and the elf to watch the path continue to break apart further along past the last member of their party. " _Hold on!_ " He shouted to those at the back, watching with shock as a third giant emerged from the mountainside they clung to.

"Grab my hand!" Fili shouted near the tail of the group, causing Eäriel to look at him and her heart clenched as he and Kili were separated by the break in the mountainside, the blonde clinging to the mountain wall as he watched their kinsmen be carried with the giant's moving legs in horror.

" _Fili, Bilbo!_ " Eäriel cried, managing to grab Thorin by his leather coat's fur lining as he sought to rush to his nephews' aid, holding fast to him as the winds threatened to yank her hood off while they watched the third giant be felled and its legs slowly crash into the opposing mountainside… " **NO**!" Both dwarf and elf yelled in chorus as the torso of the giant fell into the abyss-like chasm below; the elf let go at last of her companion's coat before their huddled group scrambled at top speed to where they had seen the giant's leg collapse against the mountain.

" _Fili!_ " Thorin cried, fearing the worst and that he had lost his nephew and heir, being the first to round the corner and his heart soared in relief at finding his nephew as well as the remaining members of their party as they seemed to be regaining their breath and thanking the maker for keeping them alive.

"Boys!" Eäriel laughed as she beamed at finding her friends were alive as she had hoped, watching Kili rush to his brother's side to embrace him before she helped some of the others get to their feet, and then threw her arms around the princes in relief. "Thank Eru you're alive!" She said as she held onto her brothers.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur asked at large, pulling the company from the overall elated feeling they had with reuniting, and at seeing noone answered he asked again, " _Where's the hobbit?_ "

Drawing away from her brothers, Eäriel was the first to look for said halfling only to gasp slightly at seeing him clinging desperately to the slippery ledge of the path. "Bilbo!" She barked, wasting no time in helping her friend, hurriedly getting on her belly and reaching down to the hobbit; a grunt of victory escaped from between her teeth as she caught hold of his sleeve before she looked down at his fearful eyes and said, "Grab my arm!" She gave a quick nod as Bilbo did as told so she could pull them both up onto the path, perking up as she felt a set of hands pulling on her sword belt while another set of hands grabbed onto her quiver, both dwarves helping her and Bilbo onto the path safely.

Eäriel fought off a shudder that she mostly blamed on the coldness of the night, having held onto the shivering and relieved Bilbo, before she nodded her thanks to Thorin and Dwalin as they had been the ones to help her up.

"We nearly lost our burglar, _and_ our elf along with 'im!" Dwalin huffed as he returned the nod to the she-elf.

Thorin's face was stony as he huffed and remarked pointedly, "He's been _lost_ ever since he left home; should never have come… he's got _no place_ amongst us." They would have lost Eäriel too, if he and Dwalin hadn't acted fast enough… He shot a glare at the still-shivering halfling before turning away to continue.

"He's got as much right to be with the company as I," came Eäriel's quieted voice, and she watched him stiffen slightly before he scowled slightly at her over his shoulder; she met his scowl with a patient look, "give it a rest for today." ' _Please_ ' her eyes said as he caught the plea in her stare that asked he not engage in another battle like the one they had just narrowly escaped from.

His scowl faltered slightly at seeing the plea in her eyes, before he turned away and scoffed, nodding at the opening in the rock not feet away, "Dwalin."

Bilbo shook his head despite the rain that was sprayed from his wet curly locks, looking up at the elf as she had kept her gaze on the dwarf king, and he said, "You didn't need to say that, Eäriel…" By all rights Thorin had a point; a blatant point, mind you.

"I would be lying if I _didn't_ say it." Eäriel reproached gently, looking at her companion and a smile tugged at her lips as she added, "Gandalf was right in mentioning you're vital to this quest, Bilbo."

"Looks safe enough!" Dwalin's voice came from inside the cave, to which Thorin motioned everyone enter the large niche, nodding to the elf even though he didn't give a second look to the halfling at her side as both entered the cave.

"Caves in the mountains are rarely unoccupied," Eäriel muttered as she heard Dwalin give the all-clear, finding a spot by the entrance and removing her bedroll and rather-stuffed bag she had brought from Rivendell that contained a proper first-aid should they need it, plopping down on the cold ground with a relieved sigh.

Glóin dropped a bundle of dry firewood –some, she noticed, looked as if they were from various pieces of furniture in the settlement that had been broken off days earlier—and rubbed his hands together in anticipation, "right then, let's get a fire started!" He said. Noone present could protest to a warm fire; save one, much to the general chagrin.

"No fires in this place," Thorin shook his head as he strode to the end of the cave and checked on his companions to see all were accounted for, "Get some sleep; we start again at first light."

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us, that was the plan," Balin commented pointedly.

"Plans change." Thorin stated, earning a rather worried look from Balin as well as a slight sigh from the lone elf. "Bofur, you're on first watch." He nodded to the hat-wearing dwarf.

Eäriel rifled through the bag containing her medicinal equipment until she located the second cloak she had brought from home as a precaution, a deep blue one, and she smiled at her fortune before proceeding to untie the green cloak's strings from their place at her nape; she shivered slightly at the cold of the cave, silently cursing Thorin's reasoning even though she wholeheartedly agreed, and proceeded to pull the second cloak on over her shoulders. She sat back against the stone wall and acknowledged most if not all of the dwarves had decided to get a few winks per sake of their tired bodies, and her eyes strayed to the hobbit who seemed to sport a dejected look in his eyes despite his face remaining blank, before lastly settling on the dwarf king who had decided to lay back on the floor near the back of the cave with his eyes staring at the ceiling and his hands clasped on his belly. She looked away from him to fold her arms at her chest and close her eyes to see if she too couldn't get in a cat-nap.

It was what she assumed three to four hours later that she recognized she could not so much as sleep; she blamed the cold firstly, plus the unease she felt at taking shelter inside a cave, and the fact that she now noted their burglar was starting to leave their company was really what did it.

She listened to the hobbit and hat-wearing dwarf argue quietly in the dark, her eyes partially opened even as they stared down at her muddied boots, before she stole a look at the dwarf king to find with surprise that he was also awake and had been listening to the two argue. _He should feel guilty for his words_ , that small snide voice in her head deemed.

"…No, you're right; we don't belong anywhere." Bofur admitted lamely, taking a glance at his companions, before he looked to the she-elf sleeping near his post; they didn't belong anywhere, her least of all, after all she did for them… He looked at the guilty hobbit and smiled good-naturedly, patting his shoulder, "I wish you all the luck in the world."

Her unease was now realized as she fully opened her eyes when the dwarf asked what the odd blue glow was as it came from the hobbit's sword, and she shot up from her reclined state to draw her own sword out by a few inches before a growled expletive escaped her lips.

The blade was shining with a brilliant hue of teal.

" _Thorin!_ " Her voice was sharp as she snapped his name, seeing the dwarf king startle awake at her beckon before she then heard a distant scraping of claws on stone, seeing Thorin jump up as she caught the crack that mysteriously emerged to divide the cave in half.

" ** _Wake up_** _!_ " Thorin commanded loudly, causing everyone else to jump in surprise and be startled awake, and before anyone could fathom what was happening the floor split open in half to make the inhabitants of the cave drop below into a dark chute.

Eäriel had slung her bag and quiver containing her bow, blades and arrows, plus her sword belt she had refastened to her waist intact before falling; she and the others gave a collective yell of fear while they tumbled.

Down the Company fell, tumbling and sliding down the dark chute until seconds later they landed in a collective heap on a large wooden ball's interwoven beams, landing with several expletives and plenty groans of pain.

The lone elf managed to scramble out of having Dwalin dropped ontop of her as she landed against a curved wall of the ball and gave a relieved sigh, momentarily looking about at the dark and dank state of their new surroundings before it hit her; _why did she not warn him beforehand?_ She slung her bag's strap over her shoulders and did the same for her quiver before managing to remarkably stand to her feet, listening and finding with a rueful smirk the familiar scraping as it sounded like it was approaching fast towards them, as she looked at the jumbled party, "Get up, all of you!" She ordered as she drew her sword from its scabbard.

"What is it now?" Thorin demanded from the other side of the ball, having also shot up to his feet to give her a scowl.

"Goblins!" Said Eäriel as she flexed her grasp on Hathelas.

 **|} x {|**

A collective cacophony of shrieks and squeals sounded as the wretched little imps descended on the Company within seconds.

Eäriel lashed out with practiced ease as she cut down four of their host with one outward arc before punting off another that launched itself at her from the horde and gutting another one, a snarl passing her lips as three goblins launched themselves at her and knocked the sword from her hands; she kicked and punched before feeling herself be yanked and shoved forward as they had seized the rest of the party and ushered them along a rickety bridge deeper into the cave. While she took relief in hearing she wasn't the only one protesting to being shoved around, if more than several dwarvish expletives from her friends wasn't enough evidence, she absolutely loathed goblins almost as much as orcs. She glanced around beyond her to find the labyrinth of bridges that had been constructed to go one way or the other, before her observant gaze turned towards what lay ahead of them, her ears ringing and aching painfully with the screeches and squeals of the little beasts that reverberated off the vast width of the cave as their conglomerated noises all-but drowned out their protests.

The she-elf lowered her head a smidge, knowing without need of experience that goblins would treat females worse than they would treat males, and she didn't have any intentions of dying tonight… no, she would sooner slay all of the blasted little monsters beforehand.

At last the rag-tag party was brought to a halt shy of a crudely-built wooden dais where the goblins' king sat on his throne chair that was made to be just as crude. The massive and grotesque filth of a goblin had situated his fat arse on the wooden throne, and if his overly-rotund size was anything to be disgusted with, the multiple puss-filled blisters and boils beneath the grime coating the beast's marred pale skin was enough to make even the strongest of stomachs among the Company nauseous.

Eäriel swallowed as her insides threateningly lurched, fighting the urge to protest as her weapons were taken from her as well as her bag and chucked into the same pile the dwarves' confiscated weapons were thrown, and she momentarily noted Hathelas lay on the bottom of the pile in its scabbard; her fingers ached to feel the sword in her grasp again.

The overgrown beast nearly dropped from his throne chair as he descended to stand before the party, a sneer on his round and ugly face, "Who would be so bold as to enter my kingdom with weapons? _Spies_ ; _thieves_ ; _**assassins**!?_ " He demanded at large. The lone elf ducked her head lower and glared up at him from beneath her brow; she had never considered herself an assassin, but if that is what was needed so they could escape this with their lives…

"Dwarves, your malevolence!" A scrawny goblin near the front of the group answered promptly.

" _'Dwarves'?_ " The Great Goblin echoed, although his repeat sounded more like a loud squawk in her already-aching ears.

Before Eäriel knew what was happening, she was suddenly shoved hard in the back so whoever had shoved her sent her forward to the front, causing the elf to slightly grimace as she stumbled when reaching the front and nearly fell on her knees; she twisted about to send her fist flying into the goblin that had shoved her, dropping it with ease, and she sent a dangerous glare at the rest of the goblins that thought to attack.

"And one she-elf!" The scrawny announcer said with a wicked look extended to the irate elleth.

"Oh- _ho_ , a _feisty_ one at that!" The goblin king cackled, watching the infuriated elf turn to him with the dangerous look in her eyes only intensifying, and his sneer shifted to a wicked smile. "Do tell, my dear, just why you and your dwarvish friends would seek to kill me so crudely, hmm?" When the elf's stony face remained as defiance shone in her piercing eyes like cold fire, a guttural snarl came from the beast as he commanded, " ** _speak_** _!_ "

Eäriel spat at his face, silent rage in her cold stare as her lip curled to reveal her teeth she bared defiantly. She was not surprised when she was received with jeering laughs and cackles from the goblins, and despite that she stood strong even though she knew there was a certain dwarf watching her as his eyes were digging into her back.

"Very well, if none of them will talk, then we'll make them _squawk!_ Bring up the _Mangler_ ; _the Bone-Breaker!_ Start with the _youngest_ and _this_ uncouth she-elf as well!" The Great Goblin said with a laugh as he pointed from little Ori who had paled considerably at being pointed out to the lone female as she glowered coldly at the beast.

" **Wait**!" A familiar low-timbre voice exclaimed, bouncing off the vast walls of the cave; the elleth looked over her shoulder in alarm to see him approaching the front, and even as shock coursed through her at his indirect defense of her life, fear for his and the company's lives overcame the former as she silently pleaded with him to stand down.

Thorin caught her stare, surprised to see the fear in her piercing orbs, before he silently assured everything would be fine. He had never thought he would be defending an elf of all people until today, and now he was sure that she as well as his nephews plus the others didn't deserve to be tortured; rather he be the one instead.

"Well, well, _well!_ Look who it is; Thorin, son of _Thráin_ , son of _Thrór!_ _King_ Under the Mountain!" The rotund goblin mocked a bow to further incite the dwarf's ire, continuing as his subjects cackled at his mockery, "But I'm forgetting that you don't _have_ a mountain; and you're not a _king_ … Which makes you **_nobody_** , really! I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head… _just_ a head! _Nothing attached_ , I'm afraid."

Eäriel's face paled at his words and she suddenly felt as if she were a rabbit caught in a snare, her mind starting to race. He had only severed his right arm that day; he hadn't done him a critical injury that he would have died from only hours later… _Oh Valar no_.

"Perhaps you know of whom I speak… an old enemy of yours! A _pale orc_ , astride a _white warg!_ " Drawled the Great Goblin, a smug and wicked smile showing his misshapen teeth.

"Azog the Defiler was _destroyed_ … _cut down_ in battle years ago!" Thorin rumbled with venom, glowering at the large goblin.

"So you think his defiling days are _done_ , then?" The rotund beast laughed, turning to a small goblin seated on a swing that acted as a message system of sorts, and saying, "Send word to the pale orc, tell him I've found his prize!"

With a shriek of a laugh, the little beast took off down the long rope into the darker depths of the cave. The lone elf would give what gold she had for her bow… She stiffened slightly when recalling she hadn't been completely searched by the goblins.

Her knives were tucked into her boots, and her daggers were in her vambrances… Schooling her face into neutrality, she flinched slightly when the goblins began another song like the one that had welcomed them into their niche of hell, her already-aching ears throbbing painfully as the goblin king started the tune this time, prancing about a little; or as much as his overgrown size would allow… The seconds passed by like hours and the longer they passed, the more she longed to slit the beast's throat with one of her daggers just to shut him up.

The goblins' overall merriment came to a skidding halt minutes later, however, as a goblin who had decided to poke about the pile of weapons gave a shrill shriek of fear as it had drawn Orcrist out from the pile; the little ilk dropped it back onto the wooden dais, causing the rest of the goblins to become fearful and their king was no exception, as the rotund beast scrambled back onto his throne with fear that the infamous blade would attack him of its own accord.

"I know that sword; it is the _Goblin Cleaver! The Biter!_ The blade that slashed _a thousand necks!_ " Cried the Great Goblin as he pointed a fat finger at the sword, causing his subjects to attack the dwarves and elf in a furious frenzy as they now knew their 'guests' were their enemies, " _Slash them; beat them;_ _ **kill them all**_ _!_ " He bellowed.

Eäriel snarled in anger as she fought off the goblins that swarmed at her just as fast as they had swarmed at the dwarves, wasting no time in drawing her daggers as she met the resurge of angry goblins with her blades that sliced the little beasts' throats, hearing a goblin lunge at her from behind before she twisted around to send her left boot careening into the ilk's chest and sending it flying off the dais from her sharp kick. She momentarily noticed she was now only inches from the pile of their weapons, and she caught Hathelas' brown handle, the silver on the blade winking in the amber glow of the cave's light as if beckoning her to draw it and fight like the warrior she was…

" ** _Cut off his head_** _!_ " The Great Goblin yelled, yanking her attention back to the chaos, and she caught sight of three goblins having pinned Thorin to the floor, the third goblin holding a crude dagger high over the dwarf king's head.

A feral growl ripped from her mouth as she turned to launch herself at the goblin trio, sharply ramming her boot into one goblin's ribs to send it flying and sticking her dagger's blade into the skull of the one who had sought to behead her friend, tossing it away with ease as the dwarf king kicked away the third; she tossed bits of hair from her face to spare him a smile before the hairs on her arms stood on end, and she quickly looked away as she knew the cause of the sudden charged sensation that filled the air of the cave… _Finally!_

Thorin started to get to his feet when hearing the elf command he get down as she threw herself ontop of him to shield him, before a blinding white light enveloped the cave and threatened to blind him with its coming had he not shut his eyes tight and clung to the elf on reflex, and the goblins that tried to get at them had been blown off the dais by the light.

Eäriel slightly lifted her head as the silence that had come with the flash of light began to fade, and she looked down at the dwarf she had shielded as she had felt his hands gripping onto her tunic and vest, seeing his eyes crack open and her shoulders sagged in relief; she gingerly lifted herself off him to help him up once she had straightened, looking at their savior and his familiar gray-clad form before she smiled wryly.

"Take up arms… _Fight_ … **_Fight_** _!_ " Gandalf commanded as the rest of the dwarves were also coming too, and unfortunately so were the goblins.

The elf wasted no time in diving for the pile of weapons and locating her remaining weapons as well as her bag, before she snatched Hathelas and Orcrist from the floor, tossing the second elvish blade to its master who caught it easily. She glanced up at the wizard as she drew Hathelas with fluid ease to meet the goblins that rushed at her, smirking at her old friend. "Punctually late as always." She mused, earning a wry chuckle from the Istari.

Together the elf, wizard and dwarves began hacking and slicing at the ugly beasts long enough to start to clear a path for their escape, and while one would think the dwarves were fierce enough in battle the lone elleth seemed to be on par as she moved with fluidity and viciousness in her blows.

"He wields the _Foe-Hammer_ , _the Beater!_ " The Great Goblin cried as he pointed to the wizard, advancing on the dwarf king and swinging his bone scepter down on the dwarf had the latter not blocked his attack with anger and proceeded to shove him back, causing the oversized beast to fall off of the dais and down below into the darkness.

"This way, hurry!" Called Gandalf as he motioned the dwarves plus elf over to a rather questionable bridge that led away from the dais, having the dwarves scramble first across the bridge as the elf shortly followed between switching from Hathelas to her bow with an arrow at the ready.

The Company raced through the various bridges and platforms of Goblintown, along the bridges that twisted and turned in different ways as they led them further away from the infuriated goblins that gave chase, which only spurred even the slower members to pick up the pace.

Eäriel let her third arrow fly right into a goblin's fat skull, having been conservative with her stock, watching the little monster fall down into the abyss-like chasm beneath the bridge they just crossed. Another goblin launched itself at the dwarf that passed her –which was Bombur, as she had kept near the tail to secure their passage—only for her to use her bow as a club to crash the weapon into the beast's face, sending it flying and giving her a chance to rush after the dwarves and wizard. She hopped onto the swinging bridge shortly after the others, right before a small swarm of goblins fell on them via a cluster of ropes, causing her to switch to her knives at the drop of a hat as she aided the dwarves in hacking and slicing at the goblins.

"Cut the rope!" Thorin shouted, to which those near the ropes of the bridge sliced at the ropes with what blades they had. And without warning, the bridge they were on began to rock, causing the rag-tag party to steady their footing even as some if not most of them struggled to stay standing.

The Company raced across to the other side at top speed as the bridge fell, leaving a gap between the goblins and they before the goblins scaled the rock walls and crossed the gap. Eäriel momentarily considered lingering behind to cut down the goblins with her arrows, but the safety of her friends and herself plus the ache she felt for daylight shoved that thought away.

At one point they came to a dead-end and would have been trapped had Kili not sliced the rope holding the platform they stood on and caused the platform to swing like a pendulum, letting at least half of the party jump onto the safer ground as the second half rode the swinging platform, hacking and slicing the goblins that jumped onto the pendulum-esque platform.

Fili nearly fell with the platform as he had been the last to cut the ropes while everyone made it with the others, before Eäriel snatched him by the scruff of his coat and yanked him with her onto the safer ground.

"Come on!" Eäriel nodded to her friend and his slightly surprised expression, giving a quick smile before ushering him ahead with his brother as she took the rear again, slicing and hacking at the goblins that pursued them from either side as well as above. She had somehow made it to the middle of the troop as they crossed over another platform, and as she turned to deal a blow to a large goblin that lunged at her from her right flank, a familiar cleaver-sword sliced the beast's head clean from its shoulders; she blinked once in surprise at the owner of the sword as both blue stares met before she huffed, "I had it sorted!" A smirk pulled at her lips as she saw a bit of amusement flicker in his stare, before her smirk fell to be replaced with a disgusted growl as her right arm shot out to stab her knife's blade into a goblin behind him.

Thorin felt a smirk pull at his lips as he was once again witness to her deadly reflexes, ushering her with him after the others.

Eäriel glanced over at him between hacking and slicing the goblins that attacked them from any and all sides as they fought alongside each other, and her chest ached as she took note of the contrasting fluidity and ferocity the dwarf king held in his swings, once again since she had become friends with him finding awe with Thorin.

Yes, she believed in Thorin Oakenshield. She knew despite what others said or thought of him, that Thorin would be a great king… _He was already a king in her eyes_.

As the Company –after Gandalf had constructed a boulder to act as a method for their escape to be paved clean of the goblins that were crushed with the large stone—finally crossed another long bridge that would lead to their escape, the floor erupted from below as the Great Goblin emerged, having crawled up from the darkness to cut off their escape with a devious grin on his flabby face.

The lone she-elf had once again found herself near the front of the party, and she lifted an arm to shield her eyes from the spray of splinters and wooden shards that went flying, before lowering her arm to glower up at the goblin with her lip curled.

"What, pray, are you going to do now you insolent wench?" The goblin sneered, smashing his scepter down on the boards to cause her to drop back with ease and give her a moment to switch weapons again, giving a guttural growl as the scepter attempted to clobber her head had she not sidestepped it.

Hathelas' blade glowed a brilliant teal as she flexed her grasp on the handle, and with a growl of her own, Eäriel sliced his fat neck with viciousness in her swing. " _That!_ " She declared frostily, drawing away near Gandalf as the goblin fell dead at her feet.

Her victory was short-lived however, as the bridge then gave a low groan and creak, and the elleth muttered an expletive before the bridge collapsed beneath them.

The Company gave yells as they clung to what pieces of bridge remained as it ricocheted down into the darkness, and as everyone was elated for the fearful ride to meet its end, they landed at the bottom of the chasm in a jumbled heap of boards plus dwarves and an elf and wizard.

"Well that could've been worse!" Bofur said right before the corpse of the Great Goblin landed on the rubble without warning.

"By Eru!" Eäriel growled in pain at being under so much weight, grimacing as she shimmied her thin frame out from beneath at least three of the Company, turning to help Gandalf first out of the rubble before helping whichever dwarves she could grab as Dwalin was already helping Thorin and his nephews out.

"Gandalf!" Kili cried, causing those who had gotten free to look up at the rocky walls above to find with horror as the goblins raced down after them, shrill cries and shrieks of fury echoing off the walls as they acted as a downward flood.

"There's too many of them!" Dwalin exclaimed as he yanked Dori free of the rubble.

"Daylight!" Eäriel barked as she hopped onto the boards to pull Kili out by his scruff, lightly dusting him off before she looked at Thorin and Gandalf.

Gandalf shared a quick nod with the elf before he led the way down one path at top speed with the dwarves and elf shortly following his leave.

 **|} x {|**

Elves had always had a subconscious paranoia towards darkness, as they felt more at home in the light of the sun, and she was no exception.

"Seven, eight… Bifur and Bofur, ten… Fili, Kili! Twelve, Bombur… and Eäriel! Fourteen." Gandalf counted off those with him with a relieved exhale at counting them present and whole.

Eäriel came to a skidding halt just shy of a few trees, a breathy laugh escaping her as she thanked the gods for sparing their lives yet again. The smile that crept onto her lovely face faltered as she took a second head-count and found they were one shy of sixteen members… "Bilbo, where is he?" She asked at large, causing the dwarves plus Gandalf to look around and find the burglar was indeed missing, as they had completely ignored the fact that he had not been with them during the ordeal with the goblins.

" _Where is our hobbit!?_ " Gandalf demanded of the dwarves.

"Curse the halfling; now he's lost!" Dwalin declared in irritation, having wondered how long it would take before the hobbit would turn tail and bolt home once he saw how the Wild greeted them on their mad venture, "I thought he was with Dori!" Accused the tattooed warrior.

"Don't blame me!" Protested said dwarf.

"When did you last see him?" Gandalf asked as he turned on the same dwarf.

Nori piped up, "I thought I saw him slip away when they cornered us…"

" **Tell me**!" Commanded the wizard.

"I'll tell you what happened!" Thorin then said, earning the overall attention of everyone, as he continued lowly, "Master Baggins saw his chance and took it; he's thought of nothing but his soft bed and warm hearth since he first stepped out the door! We will not be seeing our hobbit again… He is long gone!" He sent a pointed look at the wizard, as it had been his foolhardy idea to drag the reluctant halfling with them towards the Lonely Mountain.

"For Eru's sake, _enough!_ " Eäriel's normally-calm voice snapped tartly as she then earned fourteen sets of eyes to fall on her, yet her gaze was fixated solely on the dwarf king. "You've done nothing but pick at and think so little of the poor hobbit since you first laid eyes on him, so don't stand there and belittle him further when he can't defend himself! Bilbo Baggins has as much right to be here with us as I do, and just because he is not as resilient as a dwarf or as quick as an elf doesn't mean he is not valuable… I believe Gandalf was right to choose him, despite your complaints, Thorin Oakenshield." And she meant what she said, every damned word, as she had seen Bilbo as nothing short of a friend and one who didn't belong much of anywhere but among friends.  
 _  
Like her_.

Thorin opened his mouth to argue with her and remind her that she was not leader of the Company, when a familiar voice then declared, "He's not gone, actually!"

Surprise fell on the remainder of the Company as their burglar appeared from behind a tree near Balin, looking just as tired and shabby as they, with a slightly timid smile on his face.

"Bilbo!" Eäriel beamed at seeing her friend, once again silently thanking the gods that they all were alive and reunited.

"Bilbo Baggins; I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf laughed in relief, as happy as the elleth that their burglar was not lost to them.

Kili shared in the elf's euphoria, "We'd nearly given you up!" He said.

"How'd you get past the goblins?" Asked Fili, also smiling.

" _How_ indeed…?" Dwalin wondered quietly.

Bilbo paused as he momentarily thought of how to explain his miraculous escape from the tunnels, giving a nervous laugh as he slipped something small into his coat pocket.

Eäriel and Gandalf caught sight of this, as the latter caught the small wink of gold that had slipped into the hobbit's pocket; the former thought to ask him later of whatever he had found in the dark, smiling once again at the hobbit. "Doesn't matter, does it; he's back. That's all that matters." She supplied calmly, receiving a quick and thankful smile from her friend.

" _It matters!_ " Rebutted Thorin, receiving an exasperated half-glare from the elf, turning his full attention to their burglar, "I want to know… why _did_ you come back?" He asked carefully.

Bilbo did not miss the tension between elf and dwarf, and he then answered thoughtfully, "I know you doubt me, that you always have." He would admit the elf never doubted, and he spared her a brief glance before returning his attention to the dwarf, reminded that he had the entire attention of the king as he continued. "And you're right; I think of Bag End. I miss my books, my armchair, my garden… That's where I belong; that's home. And you don't have one… a home, that is. It was taken from you… But I will help you take it back, if I can."

The hobbit's words left a pocket of silence that fell on the dwarves as they absorbed the truth and comfort of his speech; the dwarf king slight dipped his chin in understanding before his blue orbs flickered over to the she-elf as her words rang true in his ears, and while the truth stung, she was as sharp as she was honest; he would have to make amends somehow, preferably soon, with their elf.

Eäriel had smiled warmly at Bilbo before she felt Thorin's eyes drift to her, and she started to meet his gaze when she then heard the familiar noise of paws rushing towards them from the mountainside yards behind them. She sharply looked at the direction of the noise and her lips set into a thin line. "We've got company!" She alerted them.

As their ears had not been as sharp as hers, the dwarves, hobbit and wizard looked to the elleth before they heard a low baying howl that rang out from the rocky pass behind them and caused them to stiffen.

"Out of the frying pan…" Thorin muttered darkly as his face paled a degree.

Gandalf finished bitterly, "And into the fire… Run. **Run**!" He commanded, and the rag-tag party wasted no time in running further down the mountainside at top speed, as they didn't want to wait and meet their pursuers.

Eäriel gently shepherded Bilbo ahead of her as she took the tail again, her sharp ears hearing the wargs pelting through the trees as dusk took over for the dying sun in the distance, and she drew her bow on reflex with an arrow at the ready as a growl of frustration passed between her gritted teeth.

They continued to run down the mountainside, before an eager warg leapt off a rock to land before the hobbit, cutting him off from the others.

" **Bilbo**!" Eäriel shouted as she doubled back to help him, diving out of the way of another warg that launched itself at where she had been seconds ago, letting her arrow fly right into the overgrown wolf's opened maw and she hopped out of the way as the beast had doubled to attack and instead crashed face-first into a tree behind her. She nocked another arrow in place to fire at the first warg only to find with shock that it was already dead, with the hobbit's small sword stuck into the space between its eyes: Bilbo Baggins had just slain a warg. She grinned excitedly at her friend's feat, hurrying to help him yank his sword free of the beast's skull as he had been struggling with it, and clapping a hand on his back. "A butter knife couldn't do that, could it?" She chuckled, receiving a smile from the hobbit before she ushered him ahead of her after the others.

"Into the trees, all of you!" Gandalf ordered as the dwarves then climbed into the nearby trees, rushing to the last tree and climbing into its branches, looking back at the misfits of the group as the elf was first to hop into a tree containing the princes before she helped the hobbit up into its branches.

And a good thing too, as the hunting party were now gathered around them, the wargs snapping and snarling as they jumped the trees and tried to snatch those who were on some of the lower branches.

Eäriel let another arrow fly from her bow at one warg that jumped too high, watching the large mongrel drop at the base of their tree with her arrow lodged in its skull, and she looked up when catching a hint of white on the small slope that descended towards them only for her lovely face to pale in a mixture of shock and confirmed fears.

"Azog!" Thorin gaped, his blood having run cold at seeing the pale orc present and alive after so long, before rage began to boil in his veins and cause the gaping expression on his rugged face to drop into a cold glower.

The pale orc muttered something in Black Speech before those that weren't orcs recognize the last few words he uttered, " _Thorin_ son of _Thráin_."

Eäriel swallowed her surprise only to note the Gundabad filth maintained eye contact with the dwarf king's shocked face, and she steeled herself to return her bow to her quiver, quickly looking past the branches at Thorin as the same fear she had felt in Goblintown course through her, as the something that was the source of her loyalty to the dwarf king screamed at her to protect him and kill the white beast that sought vengeance against him.

Azog raised his mace to point at the dwarf king and speak to his comrades, most likely telling them that the dwarf was his kill, and they could dispose of the others; at his command, the wargs surged forward at the rag-tag party once again, with a more potent sense of voraciousness in their snarls and snaps as they converged on the Company and began trying to knock down the tall trees.

In no time, the trees began to collapse ontop of their kindred, causing those in the branches to scramble to the next still-standing tree until all sixteen of them were relocated in the lone tree at the edge of the mountainside that dropped off rather steeply.

If being hunted was one thing she loathed, Eäriel absolutely honest-to-the-gods abhorred being cornered… She was too much like a wolf in terms of lashing out when cornered.

The she-elf perked up as a flaming pinecone was dropped from the higher branches to conk a warg on the head, sending the beast away and yelping in pain as the dropped pinecone lit the dry earth aflame, keeping the wargs at the base of the tree away for a moment.

"Fili!" Gandalf called as he tossed a pinecone down to the older prince, who in turn helped Bilbo light his own projectile, and proceeded to light the arrowhead of the elf's next arrow as she had wrapped a strip of handkerchief around the tip to let it ignite.

Eäriel aimed at the largest warg below and let her arrow fly, watching with satisfaction as the beast cried out in pain and fell as her arrow had lodged itself in its skull, causing the dead warg's body to aid the growing flames with the ones that licked at the beast's body. She grinned at seeing the wargs' numbers had dwindled so only a handful of orcs plus Azog remained by the time the ground was lit with orange and red flames that acted as a wall between the Company and their hunters.

The Company gave a collective cheer at their feat, only to have the victory stolen from their very fingers as the tree quivered beneath their gathered weight and began to tip over the edge of the cliff. With a yell they clutched tightly to the branches of the large pine, hoping they would not go tumbling down with the tree into the darkened green below, that the tree would hold out just a little bit longer.

Eäriel gave a sharp cry of surprise as she nearly fell down when the tree landed on its side and threatened to fall over the cliff altogether, latching onto the nearest thick branch available and clinging to it for dear life, hearing several of the dwarves call her name in fear.

"Just hang on!" Fili shouted to the elf, not seeing her quick nod as the branches between them hid her from his sight, nor did he see his uncle rise up from near the base of the tree until he saw said dwarf king stepping along the thick trunk towards the flames to meet their foe. " **Uncle**!" He cried as the dwarf king began to rush at the orcs with his sword brandished and his reputed oaken branch on his left arm as a shield.

" _Thorin, don't!_ " Eäriel shrieked as she flinched when she heard the branch begin to creak in protest to her weight, feeling tears sting at her eyes, silently begging the Valar to spare him and to let them escape this night safely.

With a snarl Azog launched himself at the charging dwarf king astride his warg, the white mongrel's large paws knocking his foe down with ease.

" **NO**!" Balin cried from his place on the tree as the dwarf king was knocked down a second time by Azog's sharp blow to his chest with his mace, causing the felled dwarf to gasp in pain.

Bilbo watched in horror as the warg rebounded on the dwarf king and latched her jaws onto his left side, causing him to yell in pain; Eäriel gave a pathetic whimper at hearing the bones crunch beneath the beast's iron-vice clamp, baring her teeth in anger at both Azog and for hanging like a leaf onto the branch that creaked a bit more pointedly in her grasp. "Thorin…"

" **Thorin**!" Dwalin yelled as he attempted to go to his companion's aid when the branch he clung to broke, leaving him to do nothing but hang on.

Eäriel managed to lift herself up just enough for her head to poke above the branches, her attention that had sought to stay on her friend quickly flying to the lone hobbit who had stood up on the trunk of the tree, and she gaped in shock as she watched him draw his sword… In all her years, she had never seen what she was witnessing now.

Unfortunately at the same moment, her branch finally snapped, and the elf gave a yelp as she fell.

" ** _NO_** _!_ " Fili and Kili cried in unison as they watched unable to help the elleth who fell, her body soon fading into the darkness beneath their cliff.

Thorin had heard a shuffling of hard boots on ground as he blearily saw another orc approach him to sever his head, vainly grappling for Orcrist that had fallen from his grasp and now lay inches away from his desperate fingers, hearing his nephews crying for the lone elf… _Eäriel! Mahal, no_ …

She had fallen from the falls once when she was a child, after she had learned of her mother's gift, and remembered how she had soared like an eagle when she had risen up from among the falls… Her blue eyes shone with a brilliant light like that of the moon before she willed herself to change.

The shrill cry of a falcon rang out as Azog advanced on the foolish hobbit who defended the injured dwarf, and a streak of brown feathers raked its talons across the orc's scarred face, shocking the hobbit; the white orc snarled in anger and pain as the falcon had flown away after scratching him.

One of the wargs at his right flank gave a sharp cry of pain before a familiar elleth dove in between the orcs and hobbit.

At first Bilbo didn't know if he was imagining it, or if she really was that fast, but Eäriel stood protectively infront of him with the amber glow of the flames around them making her brown mane look auburn and left an orange tint on her drawn sword's brilliantly-glowing teal blade.

Thorin blearily saw the lone elf standing tall as she protected both he and the hobbit, and relief coursed through him before he let unconscious sweep him up in a blackened veil.

Before Azog or his remaining comrades could advance on the odd trio, a battle cry sounded from where the tree had been felled as Fili and Kili dove into the pack with vigor and the urge to help their friends and uncle. Shortly after the remaining dwarves charged, and soon the hillside was loud with cries of pain from the remaining wargs and orcs.

Eäriel lashed out with a feral growl as she cut down another warg that attempted to get at Bilbo's open back, Hathelas swinging as she heard a snarl of anger from her right and blocked the sharp blow from Azog's mace as he had sought to kill her for her intrusion. She glowered up at the orc's ugly face and quickly broke away as his warg made to sink her fangs into the elf's ribs; she ducked slightly to yank a handful of dirt from the ground and toss it at the beast's face, making the warg yelp and hurriedly wipe its eyes of the irritant, and the elf caught the second blow from Azog with ease as she bared her teeth in challenge.

She would sooner die than let him take the life of her friend!

A shrill cry then sounded from the heavens, making both combatants look up as a large brown eagle dove down to knock Azog away from the elf.

The elleth beamed at having her prayers answered, hearing another eagle's call as the large raptor dove to gather the unconscious dwarf king from the ground; sheathing Hathelas, she quickly sprinted to the eagle's safety and snatched Orcrist from the ground as well as Bilbo who had lingered near the dwarf as they hopped onto the eagle's back, clinging to its feathers as the bird flew off and away from the cliffside with another cry. She looked over at the surprised hobbit before smiling wryly at wondering just what would _not_ spook the poor halfling, patting his shoulder and giving a nod when he slightly jumped and looked at her to silently ask if he wasn't dreaming the ordeal.

Bilbo looked past them at the other eagles to see the remainder of the Company were following their escape, and he gave a sigh of relief at finding they were all alive.

"We cannot thank you enough for your aid, my friend." Eäriel spoke quietly to their savior, gently stroking his feathers.

The eagle gave a chirp and his voice stole into her mind, ' _Think nothing of it, and fear not for your king! He will live again, I assure you_.'

Eäriel's chest ached again at hearing the eagle confirm her hopes, and she smiled thoughtfully, nodding.

 **|} x {|**

Sunlight shone brilliantly against the horizon, carrying the eagle-riding party on until at last they reached Carrock, a tall and rather cragged hillside that jutted up to face the skies with a likeness the woodsmen living in the Rhovanion believed resembled a bear's upturned muzzle.

The eagles circled the stone outcropping before slowly and gently depositing their riders, letting the dwarves down first before the dwarf king and two misfits were lowered safely to the smoothed stone.

"Thorin!" Gandalf declared as he pushed past the dwarves in his way after landing lastly, coming to a halt as he stood with the hobbit who had given the elleth her space as the lattermost had gotten down on all-fours to check on the unconscious dwarf king.

Eäriel fought the shiver she felt when touching his forehead and cheeks to feel a dreaded and unnatural chill to his normally-warm skin, and she swallowed the fear that began to trickle into her blood as she sat on her knees at his right, closing her eyes as she lowered her slender hand onto his forehead so her fingertips gently touched his skin.

Bilbo stood with the wizard and listened as their elf murmured a spell in elvish while her right hand traveled down from the dwarf's forehead to just shy of where his heart was, watching with shock as the dwarf king slightly twitched in an attempt to move.

Thorin's ears rang with her calm voice that had stolen into his mind, pleading with him to awaken because they needed him, because she needed him… He cracked open his stormy eyes to see the familiar female's paler gaze that was looking on him with worry drawing her brows together, before he opened his eyes fully to see the worry in her bright gaze flee to be replaced with relief and he heard a soft laugh that sounded strangled towards the end pass her lips, her blue eyes warming with a sort of fondness that made his chest ache. Everything then came back to him as his left shoulder gave a sharp throb, and he remembered the one who had first defended him on the cliffside… "The halfling?" He breathed quietly.

Eäriel's lips drew into a small smile and she broke stares with the revived dwarf king to the lone hobbit who lingered nearby with the wizard, nodding, and watching the Company give a simultaneous sigh of relief at finding their king alive after all. She perked up as he then tried to get up with a groan of pain, and she grasped his good arm on reflex, "Don't move so much!" She ordered, her calmness gone to be replaced with the tone one would hear from a strict healer, releasing him as Dwalin and Kili came to help him stand properly and she nodded to the dwarves in thanks.

"You… what were you thinking?" Thorin demanded sharply of the hobbit as he adjusted his rumpled clothes, stepping closer to the burglar and continuing, "Nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say you would be a burden, that you wouldn't survive the Wild? …That you had no place amongst us." He took another pained step towards the hobbit and the elf's words echoed in his head once more, mixing together with what he had witnessed on the cliffside, and it was silent for a moment that may as well have been an hour before he broke it. "I've never been so wrong, in all my life." With that, he then embraced the hobbit as if he were a member of his kin and not a burden as he had originally thought him to be.

The Company let out a loud cheer at the promising uptake in the aftermath of a rather long and haggard day; Gandalf smiled on in elation at the hobbit's proper indictment into the Company; Eäriel beamed as she straightened up to give a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," Thorin apologized quietly to the hobbit as they drew away.

Bilbo shook his head, "No I would've doubted me too; I'm not a hero, or a warrior… not even a burglar." He earned a few chuckles from the others.

Eäriel looked at the eagles as they then took off with a shrill cry, looking on the eagle that had carried her and she nodded her head in thanks as their gazes met, watching the eagles take off into the strengthening day. "Thank you." She murmured softly.

Thorin let his eyes stray to the elleth to see the hints of her small smile extended to the eagles leaving her lovely face, meeting her eyes for a moment to distinctly see her ears redden a smidge despite the locks of brown that she lad let down by coincidence, before he looked away to slightly smile until he looked on the lone mountain in the distance.

"Is that…?" Bilbo asked quietly, having managed to find his voice once again as he also looked at the peak, looking at Thorin as he stepped up towards the edge of the tip.

"Erebor… the last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-Earth." Eäriel supplied thoughtfully, a smile once again on her lips as she could all-but taste the surge of hope that washed over the dwarves with her.

"Our home." Breathed Thorin, a smile also plaguing his lips as it had felt like longer than a century since he had laid eyes on the solitary peak.

A chirp sounded overhead, causing everyone to watch as a small bird flew past them on into the easternmost horizon.

"A raven! The birds are returning to the Mountain!" Oín claimed.

"That, Master Oín, is a thrush." Gandalf corrected.

Thorin remarked, "We'll take it as a sign anyway, a good omen!" He smiled slightly at the hobbit.

"I do believe the worst is behind us." Bilbo sighed slightly as he looked at the mountain in the distance.

Eäriel's smile fell as she glanced at the green of the Rhovanion that stood between they and their destination, her former guardian's words ringing in her ears as she found she could not share in the hobbit's belief.

He would do wise to not think so naïvely of what was yet to come.

* * *

 _ **an** : didn't realize how much of a mouthful this chap was.. hope you guys enjoyed! also if anyone is wondering about my RH fic, chapter 35 is in the works, just kind of starting out a bit slow so fret not! anyway, that's all for now so later. _


	9. Concerning Bees

.

* * *

Once again she was left to reiterate: she absolutely _loathed_ orcs.

The hobbit peered between two stones that hid he and his fellow scout via a small niche, as the elf also poked her head above his to look at their hunters.

What she would give to let an arrow fly right into the ugly beast's skull and end their toil… Yet she knew her vengeance would have to wait.

Both Eäriel and Bilbo ducked behind the rocks when Azog turned his sweeping gaze in their direction as if he had scented them, and the former lifted her head when she heard their hunters continue on along the opposing ridge of mountain to give a soft exhale of relief even though she knew full-well that her relief was not to last forever, giving a slight nod to her companion.

Bilbo looked to the elf as he started to ask something when he noticed she stiffened and proceeded to gesture he shush, causing him to follow where her sharper eyes had strayed to have his own eyes widen, laying sight on a large creature that had emerged from the brush yards away from them.

A large bear-like beast with fur as black as night paused shy of another ridge that was close to their hiding place yet not so close he scented them as easily as they saw him, his lips drawing back into a snarl as he turned his nose into the air to scent the orcs.

Eäriel slightly spooked the hobbit when she gestured he return first for the others, nodding when he sent a slightly fearful look at her and she watched him carefully ease away from his hiding place to then race back to the dwarves, and she spared a final look at the bear creature before rushing after the hobbit's leave and running as fast as her feet could carry her; she slightly jumped when the bear gave a loud roar behind her, causing her to silently curse the reflexive fear she felt towards the beast.

She had no real need to fear the bear for she had met him long ago when she was a slightly different elf.

"…Close is the pack?" Thorin's worry was evident in his voice as she shortly appeared after the hobbit, and the dwarf felt his shoulders sag at seeing both scouts returned safely.

"Too close; a couple of leagues, no more." Bilbo panted, having come to a halt among the dwarves and he slightly doubled to regain his breath.

"We weren't spotted, thank the stars," Eäriel chimed in at a calmer tone, nodding to the dwarves.

Gandalf smiled, "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse! Excellent burglar material, our hobbit is…" He said, his words receiving a collective chatter from the dwarves as he confirmed again his belief in the halfling.

"That's not our problem!" Eäriel quieted the dwarves, earning thirteen sets of eyes to fall on her, and she looked to her friend as he had begun to open his mouth and quiet the chatter.

Bilbo gave her a brief thankful nod before continuing in her stead, "There is something else out there, something huge!"

"What form did it take, a bear…?" Gandalf asked with a cryptic tone in his voice, his wise eyes on the halfling; he was not the only one who was in the know regarding the beast, as the lone female's lovely face had been schooled into neutrality, with her arms folded at her chest and her eyes looking now and then at the injured king.

"Y-yes…" Bilbo faltered slightly as he caught the knowing glint in the Istari's blue stare, and it then dawned on he and the dwarves that the wizard knew just what it was he had seen.

"Y-you knew about this beast?" Asked Bofur as he reflexively held onto his pick-ax for comfort, his face sporting a questioning expression that swept over the rest of the dwarves, and he added, "I say we double back!"

"And be run down by an orc pack?" Thorin huffed blandly, the very thought of meeting such a cheated demise not sitting well with both his pride and his stomach, and another murmur arose among his kinsmen as they began to think of what to do.

Finally the lone elf made her voice be heard, causing the dwarves to quiet down as fourteen sets of eyes fell on her.

"There is a house, not far from here… Gandalf knows of it as I do, and there we could find shelter." At least until they had to continue their trek; Eäriel accepted the rather reluctant looks from her friends with a patient expression on her face.

"Whose house?" Thorin demanded, dread and anger towards being considered prey making his voice sharp. His eyes held fast to the elleth's piercing stare, and he continued, "Are they friend or foe?"

"He is an old friend of mine, actually, from a time where I was a bit different… He doesn't take too nicely to dwarves, but I will see what I can do." Eäriel answered calmly, irking the dwarves at her collected manner despite their circumstances.

It wasn't like they had any other choice…

A nearly-deafening roar resounded across the mountainside, causing most if not all of the Company to startle at the noise, silently confirming they did indeed have no other option.

Gandalf nodded to the elf, "Apparently there is no other choice." And with that he took off down the mountainside to lead them in the direction of their sanctuary.

 **|} x {|**

Thorin grumbled under his breath.

His left side still ached, albeit he would admit the pain was not as excruciating as it had been prior to when he had been knocked out, and to be left with little-to-no choice regarding a possible safe haven with a stranger that only the elf knew of left him unhappy.

"How exactly does she know this… friend, Gandalf?" Fili asked of the wizard who stood near he and his brother and uncle.

The Company had run in the northeast direction for the last few days, crossing through rugged terrain and plains and a marsh or two, and on the second day at the insistence of the lone female they had taken a few hours' worth of rest in a small wood before continuing as soon as dawn breached between the trees of the wood; only the wizard knew the reason why she had insisted such a thing, as it was to give their host time to return to his better self before they would ever set foot inside his territory.

"She said she would visit him often when she lived among her kin in the Woodland Realm, per sake of her mother." Gandalf answered calmly, glancing away from the blonde to his uncle whose stormy gaze had yet to leave the lone elleth's willowy frame, and he added to dispel whatever apprehension lingered among his companions, "he has not harmed her in the past, and I doubt he would wish to break that streak." She had not come so far in her life to not know how to talk her way in and out of situations, no matter the benign or severity of said situation.

Thorin slightly exhaled in a measure of anxiety, and for a moment he disliked that she had that unnerving habit of keeping him on his toes, straightening slightly as the she-elf had been greeted by a black and white patchy stallion despite the various livestock that were grazing in the green yard of their host's home; the horse bobbed his head up and down in excitement before turning about to trot towards the large house further into the yard that was partially hidden by several thick trees in the inner yard. He caught the way a slight breeze stole into the open field and played a bit with her mane she had yet to put back, and her body relaxed with the breeze as he heard a slight chuckle pass her lips when her hair was played with; his lips quirked up in bemusement, and again he silently wondered just how could she be so calm with being in the presence of an otherwise-complete stranger yet fight as fiercely as any dwarven warrior as she had shown on the cliffside and in Goblintown.

No matter how he tried to figure her out, one way or another, Eäriel remained to be an enigma.

The front doors of the house opened then, yanking him from his thoughts as his companions also snapped to when their host came forth into the open field, and it seemed shock swept through them all –with the exception of Gandalf—as fourteen sets of eyes fell on their host.

He was a tall man –taller than Gandalf and even surpassing the elves they had met in Rivendell— rather tanned with the sun and he wore a brown tunic-vest that showed his literal strength of arms with likewise-brown trousers, his coarse-looking hair and beard resembling the mane of a lion with brows that hooded his dark eyes, and he paused momentarily at seeing the lone female standing before him in his yard. The tall man seemed to smile once recognizing the elf and he then broke the distance between he and his old acquaintance to welcome her properly.

"Stay your ground," Gandalf urged the dwarves plus hobbit as they started to worry for the safety of the she-elf, and he continued with a measure of exasperation, "Eäriel is fine, I assure you!" His wise blue eyes landed on the dwarf king as he had reached for Orcrist strapped to his back, the sudden urge to protect their companion darkening his stormy orbs.

Thorin scowled slightly in reluctant acceptance towards the wizard's words, looking again to hear the female laugh when their host embraced her as if he were embracing a family member, before the man let her down when she gently urged he was squeezing too tight; he visibly relaxed when the female was safely on solid earth again, watching as both old friends spoke between each other, and he had to strain his ears a bit to properly hear them.

"… To what do I owe this sudden visit?" The skin-changer asked in his gruff voice, his voice jovial at seeing the elleth after nearly a century.

Eäriel answered with a sheepish tone, "I am in a bit of trouble, actually, and I humbly ask for your aid in sheltering myself as well as my traveling companions…" At seeing one of his thick brows lift with both curiosity and suspicion, she added, "We've run into a slew of predicaments of late, and have been on the run for days, so I thought you could give us shelter; at least until we're off again! We won't be long, I promise, just a few days. They happen to be dwarves, though, I must admit…" She finished.

"Surely you haven't forgotten that I do not care much for dwarves, Eäriel. Since I have known you, I am surprised to hear you've found such fondness for dwarves of all creatures," Beorn reminded before he looked on her squarely once more and huffed, "You behave too much like Húldaer, from what your mother used to say." He added wryly.

"I know it is strange, but they are my friends, and frankly they treat me much better than my own people do… if it is not too much trouble to house us for a few days, Beorn; I beg you, please help us." She nodded and lowered her gaze to the grass that came shy of her lower shins, knowing beyond his outward gruffness towards outsiders, that Beorn was one to help those who needed it most.

The skin-changer thought for but a moment before he sighed slightly in compliance. "You need not beg, child, for I know your pride would never allow such a thing." At the elleth's surprised lift of her head, he nodded his chin to the wood just shy of his fields where he had heard a bit of commotion minutes earlier when greeting the elleth, "You must be too fond of them to be so willing to ask my help, yet you have it nonetheless! Call for your friends, for they are welcome here; but, you must regale me with the tales of your ' _slew of predicaments'_." He smiled dryly at the brightened light in her pale blue eyes.

"I would not know where to start!" Eäriel chuckled with a smile, before she turned to whistle for her companions, giving a wave of the hand to motion they come out. She had the urge to laugh at how cautious they were as they shortly emerged from the trees' shelter, once again blaming the dwarves instilled suspicion towards alien things, as Gandalf came first with Bilbo at his heels and the dwarves keeping near the two for precaution.

"You've certainly grown to be a popular one, if you have that many friends with you, Wolf Child." Beorn jested wryly as Gandalf approached him, and he smiled, "Welcome to my home, Gandalf the Grey." He greeted.

Gandalf returned the smile, "I must thank you for allowing us into your home, Beorn."

"Now I am in need of your aid, Gandalf, for I promised Beorn tales of our journey thus far." Eäriel said with a sheepish shrug as Bilbo came to her side, "And as you are a grand master at telling tales, I had hoped you would take care of things."

"It would be no trouble whatsoever, my dear," Gandalf nodded as the Company came closer when seeing all was well and settled.

 **|} x {|**

After Beorn had granted proper permission for the dwarves to stay per his agreement with the elf, the Company deemed a rest was in order before doing anything else; Beorn had stepped away and out the door to probably check on his animals in the fields and tend to them once their discussion regarding their future ended; as the men decided to rest up before washing the grime and dirt from their persons, Eäriel chose to take advantage of the opportunity and bathe separately in the nearby stream, mostly because she still stunk of goblin and ashes and partially because she recalled the last time she had bathed had been in Rivendell.

She silently thanked the stars that she had found a secluded pond of fresh water that wasn't too far from the house yet was close enough to the river that she was basically free to do as she pleased, and let the water wash off the excess layer of dirt and bits of blood that remained, before rifling through her bag she had kept to withdraw a small bar of soap and proceeded to scrub at her dirtied skin until her relatively-pale skin looked pink and then finished with her hair.

She thought of where they must go next, and her stomach lurched at the thought, before she exhaled slightly.

No doubt they would come across her kin, as much as she dreaded it, and she prayed they would not linger too long in her kin's company... Thranduil's bitter feelings towards the dwarves would undoubtedly be just as harsh as they had been when she had temporarily resided in his halls.

The she-elf deemed she had spent too long of time relaxing half an hour later and proceeded to exit the pond, pulling her clothes back on until just her vest remained, and she shrugged it on over her shoulders before fastening it. She rifled through her bag again to find none of her medicinal equipment had been taken in Goblintown, much to her relief, as her thoughts strayed to Thorin and the fact that he hadn't been properly treated for his injuries.

Several cries of happiness in dwarvish sounded as she made her way nearer to the stream to make her way inside, and she stopped with her sword and quiver slung over one shoulder with her bag on the other to spot twelve dwarves and one hobbit make a bee-line for the stream; she had to sidestep most of them and made a mental note to gouge her eyes out later on as she noted, much to her chagrin, that the dwarves had already stripped of their clothes to make their run for the stream easier.  
 _  
Gouging her eyes out sounded rather nice right about now_ …

Eäriel shook her head a little before a quiet grunt of pain sounded from nearby, and her ears twitched as she looked to see Thorin seated on an old stump, having a bit of trouble shrugging out of his coat; she briefly wondered if he had had trouble removing his vambrances and belt. "Need some help?" She asked, watching him lift his head at hearing her voice, and she nodded slightly to his person.

Thorin scowled slightly as his pride deemed he could do it on his own. "No, I am _fine_ , thank you…" He started to say as he attempted to pull his boots off starting with his left foot, only to regret it as he used his left arm, and a hiss of pain was caught between his teeth as he did so. He made to try again only to see her crouch before him and help him remove the heavy boot, pausing and looking at her as their eyes met and she only shrugged a little before gesturing to his right foot. He reluctantly conceded as he extended his right foot for her to pull the boot off, scowling again from under his brow, "I had it handled." He muttered.

"Not with an injured shoulder." Countered the elf, accepting the mild glare from him, and she slightly sighed through her nostrils as she lifted her gaze to meet his. "I imagine you'll need help with the armor." She added patiently; she didn't ask.

Defeat and pride warred amongst each other in his blue stare before he sniffed, "You are quite possibly one of the strictest of healers I've met." He rumbled sorely.

Eäriel smiled cheerily, knowing it left him irritated when she threw in some cheek, and rocked back onto her knees. "I am so glad we're on the same thought." She hummed as she watched his brow give a twitch before she straightened to help with his armor, proceeding to mention she would loosen the armor just enough for him to not exert his bum shoulder as she loosened it, until the armor shifted on his body and he held his arms out for the layer to fall to the ground so all that remained on his person was his trousers and his blue tunic. She caught the dark stain that lingered on his left shoulder which was a result of blood that had dried within the last few days since the incident on the cliffside, and she chewed her lower lip even though she mentally cursed him for not letting her treat him sooner. "Your shirt will have to go as well…" She started to say.

" _That_ stays." Thorin cut her off, glaring at her from beneath his brow as she had shifted to stand on his left and both sets of blue eyes clashed, and he caught the flaring of her nostrils in frustration as her eyes narrowed in like; she was always more interesting when she was frustrated, and he would admit he _loved_ to leave her frustrated.

Of course she was the same with him, so it was only fair he return in like, in his opinion.

"I've treated injuries before, on men mostly, so _don't_ act like you are the first shirtless man I've seen, Thorin… I may not possess the gift of foresight, but I _was_ taught properly on how to heal." Eäriel snapped with thinning patience evident in her tart tone, placing her hands at her sides. "Shirt _off_." She finished firmly.

"You've been meaning to treat my wounds since we left Carrock, so _don't_ act like you are just being a helping hand." The dwarf returned shortly. "So _no_." He added coolly.

The elf's nostrils flared again in frustration, and she turned her head slightly to exhale. "Valar save me from the stubbornness of this dense-headed tosspot… Stop acting like a dwarfling and try to accept that your injuries need to be treated _before_ we set foot inside of Mirkwood." She scowled at him, instead folding her arms at her chest.

He didn't wish to accept it per sake of his pride, but Thorin had indeed met his match in Eäriel.

"I can still walk damn-well fine, Eäriel… Your help is _not needed_." Thorin argued flatly, some part of him knowing that even as he said those words as he had said them when they first met years ago, he knew that she would only stand her ground like the tenacious female she was.

Instead of a fiery rebuttal, much to his surprise, her face was schooled into a calm mask that hid her growing frustration with him well enough. She inhaled steadily before stating slowly and calmly, "Master Dwarf, you're aware that wargs just _love_ rotten flesh, are you not?" At seeing his suspicion rising into his narrowed blue orbs, she continued in the same collected voice, "Well they are, in fact, absolutely _maddened_ by the stink of blood and flesh. Now when a warg bites you, _after_ devouring a good helping of rotten flesh mind you, you become infected with the bacteria taken from their previous meal… Soon enough you would be no different than the corpses they ate, and ironic enough, _dragons_ also love a fresh meal… _Especially_ if their meal is already half-dead, if they're _weakened prey_." She knew her words left him bristling at the horrid thought of being a meal for wargs or the dragon, and so she shrugged innocently, adding, "This quest would have been for naught, if you let your wounds fester until you become a shell of what you once were." She didn't need to say the name of the cursed stone to have him cooperate, but being a dragon's dinner was potent enough in her opinion.

Thorin's nostrils flared with a short exhale before his glare faltered slowly, and he then extended his arm out for her to help with his tunic, both sets of blue eyes clashing again.

Eäriel smiled serenely even though a victorious smirk sought to show itself on her lovely face, shuffling to help him with his tunic, being very careful with his bum arm as she did so. She stepped over his now-discarded tunic that lay on the ground next to his other belongings before inspecting his injury properly; a frown pulled her brows together and she silently cursed him once again, her nostrils flaring with a silent exhale.

"Something wrong?" He asked quietly, glancing at her as she had looked closely on his injury, wincing slightly as she gently prodded the flesh around the injury with a finger.

"It might be infected… Wash off in the stream and return here when you're finished. I'll see what I can do." She deduced patiently, stepping away to return to her discarded belongings that lay on the ground near his.

"Where are you off to?" Thorin called after her as she started back towards the house.

Eäriel replied over her shoulder, "Don't mind me, just do as you're told or I'll dunk you in the stream face-first." She smirked thoughtfully and entertained just how irate he would be if she actually pulled through with her threat.

"And of my trousers?" Thorin wondered coolly as she started to continue where she left off, watching her stop for a moment once again; he smirked as he deemed a bit of payback was in order for how she had ' _convinced_ ' him to cooperate.

The she-elf's nostrils flared and she slightly shook her head at his gall, looking back at him over her shoulder, "You forget I grew up with twin brothers, _darling_ , and besides…" She met his eyes to see the confidence in his comeback slowly dissipate from his blue orbs, causing a grin to form on her lips before she lifted a familiar tether of black from the confines of her left vambrance. "All men are the same beneath their trousers, are they not?" She tossed it back to him right as his trousers dropped and left him completely exposed, laughter in her brightened eyes as she watched him drop his hands to cover his lower half while his face turned tomato red with embarrassment, hearing the dwarves in the stream break out into laughter behind him.

" _That_ _was_ _uncalled_ _for!_ " Thorin yelled after the retreating elleth, hearing a bark of laughter from her as she drew closer to the house.

 _That blasted elf!_

 **|} x {|**

Thorin returned to the stump where she had inspected him to find with a bit of confusion as well as curiosity that she had seemed to dump out the contents of her bag on the grassy earth, looking from the three rolls of clean bandages and gauze to the stitching needles until his blue gaze settled on the owner of the equipment who was busy mixing something in a small cup most likely taken from her bag. "Did you rob Elrond of his medicine storage?" He teased blandly, sitting down on the stump after lowering her vest from its place atop the seat to where she left her weapons and bag to the side.

"Not all of it, just the basics." Eäriel chuckled slightly as she finished mixing the potion, noting it was an oddly clear color like water, and she offered it to him. "Drink this, if you will." At the slight furrow of his brows before he reluctantly took it from her hand and took a sip, she added when he spat slightly on the bitter-tasting liquid, "it'll clear up the infection if you drink it all." She was not looking at him as she turned to the salve she had concocted while he finished the drink.

"Know that I'll haunt you if that was poison." The dwarf pointed out as he grimaced after downing the last of the potion.

"It's supposed to turn clear when finished, so you're welcome." Calmly retorted the she-elf, before she lifted the small bowl that contained the salve and dabbed a rag into the concoction and added as her eyes met his, "This will sting, but being the strong and kingly dwarf you are, that shouldn't matter should it?" She tilted her head a smidge in cheekiness before gently brushing what bits of his mane of dark hair rested on his bum shoulder, the slight smile on her lips faltering a degree as she took note of the bite that narrowly missed the left side of his throat by mere inches, and she silently inhaled as she began to dab the salve onto his injury.

"That was almost a compliment…" Thorin started to remark when the medicine stung like a hot poker as it connected to his injury, and a growl of pain passed his lips as his free hand reflexively grabbed onto the side of the stump.

Eäriel inhaled again as she watched him calm and brace himself for the next one, slightly furrowing her brow in concentration as she continued to dab at his wound with the salve in the same careful manner, finding the resilience of dwarves remained strong in him as he took the treatment with little to no complaints. Her frown fell away the longer she worked, and she felt her lips quirk up at the corners.

No she was not wrong when she deemed he be the one dwarf she could believe would actually restore some semblance of peace to their races' bitter alliance…

Thorin found his left arm did not hurt much if at all, to which he assumed the potion was working properly and hadn't poisoned him as he had thought, as he lifted it just enough so the elleth could begin to wrap the bandages around his left side. Having her so close left him to note that, as she had washed up before them and scrubbed the stink of goblins off her body, her hair had a medley of interesting scents that faintly wafted from the drying brown locks; firstly there was the scent of fresh rain, as if it had kissed her in that gentle way only spring rains could; secondly it was of wildflowers, which at one point when she visited him in Ered Luin she had been gifted a flower crown by Fili and Kili as they found she deserved one that she had worn throughout most of her time during the visit; and thirdly there was the crisp scent of forest that lingered, as if she had taken a run through the trees… Free, like she had longed to be since she had left home, when she had felt obligated to help him restore peace to their estranged kin and be free of the restraints of her people.

She deserved freedom; yes, that is what she deserved most, and happiness that he had oddly found she experienced when in the company of his people and in his company as well.

"Whatever happened to elvish magic?" His low-timbre voice breached the calming silence between them, dragging both him and her from where their thoughts had strayed. He looked at her as she was finishing with wrapping the bandages around his side.

She smiled wryly at his question, wondering if he was jesting or truly curious, before she answered, "I know little of healing spells, as I kept to the training ground moreso than my studies, so most of what I can do I learned by watching my sister; she's always been the more gifted one than me… Knowing which herbs are safe and which are poisonous I learned from Radagast." She explained, fastening the bandages before pulling the last bit that was unnecessary off with a quick tear.

He smiled dryly at her odd explanation that made sense given it was told by the most odd of elves he had ever known, and he perked up slightly as she drew away and turned her head to put her remaining belongings back in her bag, letting him see the small nick on her right cheek that had most likely been obtained when they were beneath the mountain… His blood boiled at the thought of those disgusting creatures touching her or worse, and he inhaled sharply as he cut his gaze away, flexing his grasp on the tree stump. "I am sorry that those pieces of filth hurt you." He rumbled quietly.

She slightly stiffened at his apology before huffing, stuffing the used bowls back into her bag before looking at him with a shake of her head, "Don't apologize, for I'm much more resilient than to let goblins be the end of me, you should know that by now…" She began to assure him.

"Regardless, they would have killed you first before any of us, and then the incident on the cliffside…" Thorin growled out as he silenced her, watching a certain hardness show for a moment in her piercing orbs that looked away from his stare, and he inhaled steadily. "Fili and Kili told me, that you fell… they thought you'd fallen to your death, because of Azog, because I was foolish enough to stand off against that vile monster."

"Thorin!" Eäriel exhaled shortly, looking at him squarely as he scowled at her, and she could see guilt playing in his stormy orbs; she chuckled slightly as she lifted a hand to gingerly brush a few stray locks of his grayed hair from his rugged face, stating, "You fought valiantly, for your kinsmen and Bilbo and Gandalf, for my sake… You must worry for your kinsmen's lives before mine, for I am not a dwarf." Her eyes softened with a measure of humility and gentility he noticed she spared for none but him.

His skin tingled at her touch that was light like a feather, and he reached with his good hand to hold her palm to his bearded cheek despite the heat that spilled from his ears into his face, as blue met blue. "You fight as fiercely as any dwarf; you are as resilient as one of us… You are part of the Company, so it would be foolish for me to not safeguard your life as I would the others." He reminded stubbornly, seeing her ears redden.

Eäriel felt a shiver jolt down her spine at words, and her lips quirked up in a shy yet fond smile, before she lowered her gaze and hummed softly. "I am glad you're alive, as well, even though you are by far one of the most stubborn dwarves I've had the pleasure of befriending…" She laughed softly, giving a shrug.

Thorin smiled bemusedly at her response, reluctantly letting her retrieve her hand, and he thought momentarily of the odd paling in her cheeks when they discussed the Elvenpath hours earlier; a frown started to pull his lips downward before he lifted his eyes to meet hers, asking quietly, "You don't wish to reunite with them, do you? Your kin." He knew she loathed Thranduil nearly as much as he did, as she had told him that whenever mentions of her former residence was brought up, so the fact that she didn't want to meet them again left him the slightest bit curious.

Eäriel's nostrils slightly flared with an exhale and she shook her head. "There is a more pressing matter that Elrond reminded me of, when he and I spoke in private that last night in Rivendell." At the quirk of his brow that silently urged she continue, she fiddled with a loose thread on the lining of her bag's strap, explaining quietly, "When I was small, probably a decade or so before Mum sailed to the Undying Lands, Elrond knew she would not linger long in Middle-Earth and therefore struck an alliance between the Woodland Realm and Rivendell. He and Thranduil agreed to betroth me to his son, Legolas… We were children when the betrothal was made, and he only recently reminded me that he couldn't protect me should I accompany you further east. He claimed it was struck because my mother had hoped I make an alliance with the wood elves, kindred to both my father and she, as it was one of her last wishes before she left this world." She felt him stiffen and she didn't look at him, instead finding interest in the green grass beneath her bare feet.

It was better he knew now, than if they should run across her kin in the future.

The dwarf king momentarily surprised her when he lifted off the stump to take a moment to absorb this newest bit of news, and if he had loathed that pompous elf king before, he certainly was disgusted and furious with him for staking a claim on the life of their Company's elf, on _his_ elf… "Would you go through with it?" He asked softly, perking her ears.

The elleth sat down on the stump while she watched him pace, and voice a couple of dwarvish curses while he did so, not even giving herself a moment to say yes as she scoffed. "I'd sooner kiss a warg! His son is not exactly like him in terms of personality, but after his cowardice when you lost your home…" Her voice hardened with bitterness, and she bared her teeth at the thought. "I would not betray you, or the others." She stated firmly as he turned to her, watching the silent rage he held for the Elvenking slowly fade the longer their stares held.

Thorin quieted as his pride swelled in hearing her reiterate the unwavering loyalty she held towards him, and his people, and he nodded before looking away as his eyes softened. "Know that I won't let them take you away… I will make sure they won't take you away from us." _From me_ , he thought to add, as he turned to her again and flexed his fingers that hung at his sides.

Eäriel's face softened as she was touched he wished to protect her, her heart doing an odd flip-flop inside her ribcage at hearing this, and she nodded. She wouldn't dream of leaving his company, not now, or ever if possible.

* * *

 _ **an** : i think the second leg started out well, don't you? :)_


	10. Like these Autumn Leaves I

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* * *

The patchy stallion turned his head to the elf as she was hoisting the last slightly-heavy bag onto his back and fastened it to the saddle.

"I know, it's a bit of a lot, isn't it?" She smiled wryly, gently patting his withers with a hand before receiving a quiet nicker from her borrowed steed, for a moment missing Brand and his perkier personality. She looked to her friends as they were just finishing with gathering what they needed as they jogged between the house and their steeds that patiently waited for them to finish loading their things, and a small smile played at her lips before she looked beyond the fields of their temporary sanctuary to what lay ahead of them, as the sun steadily gained momentum the longer the minutes passed.

Once the dwarves were ready to continue, the elf looked about to find the wizard a bit of a ways nearer into the trees' shelter speaking privately with Beorn, and she paused to mount her steed with a slight frown. A sharp caw of a raven sounded from the skies above, making both she and the dwarves glance up at the heavens beyond the trees' canopies; she scowled up at the skies before hoisting herself up into the stallion's saddle. "Gandalf, we must go!" She urged, sharing a look with Thorin who had saddled his horse near her, seeing the haste was also in his stormy orbs.

Gandalf and Beorn finished whatever it was they spoke of as a howl sounded in the distance from the woods just shy of the fields, and the latter nodded to the she-elf as the former left his company to mount the borrowed black and white stallion so they may continue. "Go now while the light is with you, for your hunters aren't far behind!" He said to the troop.

"Thank you once again for your hospitality, Beorn," Thorin said with a respectful nod to the skin-changer before following Gandalf's lead.

Eäriel spared a nod as well as an assuring smile to her friend, "Till we meet again, my friend." She said, urging her stallion follow her friends' leave until all were safe and accounted for once again, remaining near the tail of the group as her ears and eyes were best should they encounter any hint of danger on the way to Mirkwood.

 **|} x {|**

It didn't take long for the Company to arrive to their destination, their steeds collectively halting just yards shy of the entrance to the cursed forest.

Piercing eyes scanning the tops of the darkened trees before settling on the overall-dead pallor the trees themselves showed, her heart sank even as she flinched slightly at sensing the magicked air of her former home, the magic seeming twice as potent as when she had last experienced it many years ago. She was first to dismount, letting her steed's reins drop from her grasp as she approached the treeline and took a few brave steps into their company, lifting a hand to touch the bark of a thin and rather sickly-looking youth; she quickly yanked her hand back as if she had let flames touch the skin of her fingertips, a slight growl caught between her teeth as it only took those few seconds to sense that they may be getting in over their heads yet again.

The Greenwood was not just sick, it was poisoned with malice and dark magic, magic that made it dangerous.

"Set the ponies loose, let them return to their master!" Gandalf instructed the others, watching the elleth return to their company to do so for her horse, and he did not need to ask to see the truth of her former home's ailed state left her to grieve in silence; he frowned in sympathy before turning to inspect the gates through which they would enter, approaching a set of wood-carved gates erected to stand among the trees, the tops of the gate doors looking like a set of intricately woven antlers. "The Elvenpath…" He murmured.

Shouldering his bedroll atop the other assortment of things the skin-changer had given to not just him but his friends, Bilbo looked to the she-elf as she was murmuring softly in elvish between petting her horse's dark face, seeming to thank him for his help… He looked to the treeline she had abandoned and frowned thoughtfully as he took a few steps towards them. "This forest feels ill, like if a disease has infected it." Said the hobbit. He was not as skilled of a gardener as his neighbor Hamfast Gamgee, but he knew a healthy tree when he saw one, and unfortunately it seemed there was not a healthy tree for miles.

"The trees were once as healthy as can be, and there was an abundance of creatures that adored the tranquility of the wood as well as the fresh sunlight that streamed between the breaks in the trees' sheltering canopies…" A shallow sigh passed her lips, and her voice quieted, further stating the hobbit's belief that she grieved for the state of her former home, "Oh Bilbo, it was _beautiful_." She whispered, not looking to her friend but to the trees, wondering if they would actually enter and exit the Greenwood without tipping off her kinsmen… She hoped beyond hope that they would be invisible.

"Did you see something?" Rumbled the dwarf king as he approached the two, earning a glance from the halfling whereas the elf slightly jumped, causing a frown to tug at his lips at seeing he had caught her off guard.

Odd, in and of itself, given he couldn't recall the last time he had spooked her.

"No, nothing has changed." The elf shook her head, her proverbial feathers ruffled just the slightest at being spooked back to reality, looking to her king and smiling slightly even as the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Thorin accepted her smile regardless as he was already aware of her hesitation, and he nodded as their eyes met for a moment, allowing him to silently assure her that he would not let her be taken from them; he watched a sense of relief brighten her paler blue irises as she slightly nodded back, finding she could still trust him as she always had.

"Not my horse, I need it!" Gandalf declared as he had returned from the trees to find Nori undoing the tack of his steed, brushing past the trio to take his horse's reins from the dwarf's.

"You're leaving us?" Bilbo called in confusion, frowning, before he looked to the elf who also sported a slight frown at the wizard's abrupt departure that the rest of the Company didn't quite understand or accept either.

Gandalf stopped in remounting the horse to turn to the rag-tag group, looking to the elf as she didn't agree with his departure yet at the same time she understood his haste, "I wouldn't do this unless I had to, and it is Eäriel who will lead you through the forest, not I." Assured the wizard.

"Gandalf has a point, for the Elvenpath is easier to navigate if you are an elf… Stay safe." Eäriel nodded in agreement, shouldering her quiver on reflex as she said this, nodding to her old friend.

Returning the nod, the wizard added to the group at large, "I will wait for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor; keep the key and map safe, and do not enter that mountain without me." He spoke the last part as his eyes fell on the dwarf king amongst them, finishing, "this is not the Greenwood of old, for the very air of the forest is thick with illusion and will seek to lead you astray. You must not stray from the Elvenpath, lest you never find it again!" Gripping the reins for his horse, he then took off in the direction they had come without another word of farewell.

" _'Lead us astray'_ … What's that mean?" Bilbo wondered somewhat at large, looking from Dwalin who stood near him to their guide.

Eäriel's nostrils flared with a slight exhale and she shook her head, "It's not an answer you would like to hear, my friend. Gentlemen, we stop once dusk sets in to sleep and continue when dawn comes, now come along." She looked to the dwarves with her before her eyes fell on their king, to which he nodded his chin to silently urge she lead the way, and she nodded back only to then take her first step between the gates of the path.

Valar protect them from whatever they might see… or _who_ they might see.

 **|} x {|**

Four days had passed… Four long and rather sleepless days.

The first night had passed with quiet, and she believed –rather she hoped—that whatever beasts had migrated into the forest years prior were not completely aware of their presence. She had let the princes take watch for the first and second nights; she sensed that on the second night the forest's inhabitants began to take account of the fifteen intruders, as the second night passed with an underlying sense of tension that only seemed to flourish when they continued on their trek.

The third night was her turn, and she doubted she would ever forget it.

Dusk had set and as they were eating a snack of a meal before resting for the night, it was Kili who made them aware of the eyes that were watching them from the darkness beyond the amber glow of the fire; only seconds passed before the owners of the eyes converged on the camp and took the form of large moths that had been drawn to the fire. The lone elf had managed to shoo them away, swatting at some of them while using her bow as a club before the dwarf king commanded they douse the flames immediately, soon casting them in pitch-black darkness. As dinner had been ruined for them, Eäriel urged they get some sleep for they would need it come sunrise, taking watch with her bow on hand and an arrow held fast between her first three fingers for precaution.

The fourth day came with little to no sleep for the Company, and the evening wasn't very different, with the elf taking watch again despite the dwarf king's advice to let her rest for a night.

It was the fifth day and it was rather surprising most of the group had gotten some sleep, though coupling that with the fact that the air of the forest had thickened around the middle of the third day with whatever enchantments permeated the atmosphere and by the third or second day some of them were complaining about having strange dreams, there was little to take comfort in.

At least they were permitted to sleep, whereas she didn't even give herself the chance to do so.

She ate little and only took a few sips of water from her sling during little breaks the dwarves had insisted upon within the last few days, and between making sure she remained sharp and on alert as they rested and kept to the stone path per the subconscious tug she felt each time they started up again, her collected mood had drawn to a very thin line by this point. She kept silent as she led the way, deeming it wise for both herself and the dwarves' already thin patience with the forest that she keep her thoughts silent until they finally left the forest behind them so it would be nothing short of a bad memory in the coming years, therein leaving her to her thoughts and senses that remained as sharp as the blades she carried on her person.

Taking a sip of water from her lightening sling, the elleth returned the container back to her bags confines, scanning the forest around them as she waited for the dwarves plus halfling to finish their snack.

 _She was beginning to hate this place_ …

"You should eat something," his rumbling voice commented as he had come to her side, seeing her stiffen slightly at hearing his observations and he added as she continued to scan the trees, "Water alone won't keep your strength up."

"Elves don't need as much sleep or food as dwarves and hobbits." She returned quietly, momentarily peeling her gaze away from their strangely-quiet surroundings to her companion and adding, "you needn't worry for my strength either, _mellonin_."

Thorin scowled and exhaled shortly; he wasn't going to let her exhaust herself, especially if they ran into trouble, which for some reason they had managed to do since their journey began. "Come on, time to move." He declared to the others, turning to the elf as she started to take point again and grabbing her left wrist on reflex, seeing a hint of annoyance show in her piercing orbs that locked on his stormy gaze. "You will rest at the back today, I will lead us until tonight," at seeing the beginnings of a protest in her slightly tired and irritable eyes, he added with a slight squeeze on her leather-covered wrist, "Sleep is a necessity, even for elves." He knew she trusted him even if her pride would never show it, as he in turn trusted her and that she would heed his advice.

Eäriel's lips formed into a pursed line before she exhaled softly and nodded, "very well." Her voice held a tart edge before she retrieved her wrist from his larger hand's grasp, turning away to join the dwarves with a purposeful twist of her heel.

"What's with her?" Fili chose to ask his uncle as they were ready to move again, looking at the stiffened manner the elleth held in her shoulders as she refused to look at the dwarf king who had lingered where he stood.

Thorin watched her go and a rueful chuckle escaped him, knowing she would be cross with him even before he had voiced his concern for her mental state, "Don't antagonize her today, you or your brother." He instructed the blonde with a reflexive clap on his shoulder, watching confusion flit in the younger dwarf's blue stare before he turned away to relay the message to his sibling.

Not only did elves need sleep but they surely had one hell of a temper.

 **|} x {|**

"Found the bridge!"

Bilbo was first to follow Bofur's lead to said landmark only to come to a halt and see the bridge was missing a large chunk out of where the middle used to be, a frown on his brow as he looked to the odd mist that clouded over the possibly clear surface of the river that ran through their part of the forest.

Bofur's hopeful smile faltered at the sight of the bridge, looking to the halfling, "We could try and swim it." He half-suggested and half-joked, if only to lighten the mood that had since settled on their party.

"Gandalf forgot to mention it but not only is the air enchanted, the waters are as well." Eäriel's lamenting voice spoke behind the two as she had also approached the supposed bridge, the hints of a scowl on her lovely face.

"Doesn't look very _enchanting_ to me…" Bofur muttered.

"We've got to find another way across, come on." Thorin rumbled from the bank, and the odd trio followed to regroup with their friends.

Eäriel fell in step with the dwarf king, "the Elvenpath doesn't run across any bridge; it didn't when I crossed it long ago, so I don't see how that would change within more than a century…" She started to reason.

"This forest is _magicked_ ; you agreed when Gandalf said such, didn't you?" Thorin cut her off, his growing irritation with their surroundings plus the overall feeling that they probably didn't know where they were going making his voice sound sharp and condescending.

Eäriel held his darkened stare with a half-glare on her brow before she strode ahead of him as she had spotted a patch of vines only yards away, coming to a halt to look on him as he had followed her leave. "Beats trying to swim across." Gods knew what lay in the water, anyway, and she took enjoyment in seeing his proverbial feathers ruffled by her cheekiness.

Kili agreed as he moved closer to take hold of a thick and long vine, "these look strong enough, too!"

"We send the lightest first." Thorin stopped his nephew, before fourteen sets of eyes fell on the lone halfling who blinked once at being singled out before a suspicious frown pulled at his face.

With a bit of coaxing from the younger dwarves plus Bofur, Bilbo was first to travel across the way via the interconnected vines, some as thick as young tree trunks whereas he had to cling to thinner ones to steady himself. He slipped once and then twice, the second time between two thick sets of interwoven vines that left him to look down into the surface of the river, his eyelids beginning to grow heavy the longer he looked into his muddled reflection in the river's face…

"Come on, then, up you get." Eäriel's calm voice said overhead before she gently helped him to right his footing from her place on the thicker vine behind him, noting the slight glazed-over look in his brown eyes before he shook his head fervently to snap out of it, and she spared him a quick smile as she gestured he continue to lead.

Bilbo gripped a swing-like arch of vines as he neared the other side of the river, giving a slight yelp before he jumped the small distance to land on his side with a grunt; he slightly lifted his head that spun as the elf shortly joined him on his side, landing on the small stone steps with ease.

Eäriel momentarily scanned the forest on their side of the river before hearing the hobbit mutter something about there being something off about the water, and she looked down at him before something else caught her attention behind him, a wry snort passing through her nostrils. "Oi." She muttered.

"Stay where you are… O-oh!" Bilbo blinked once and then twice as he also caught sight of the rest of their party as they had attempted to cross shortly after the two misfits, lightly slapping his face with the back of his hand to see if he wasn't imagining the sight.

Thorin was the first of the dwarves to land on their side of the river, slightly straightening his footing, looking from the hobbit to the elf to find the lattermost was not looking at him but at something in the darkened brush yards away from the riverbank. He followed her trained gaze to widen his eyes a smidge at seeing the ethereal creature.

A white stag stared on at the odd trio, its pale form an eyesore in the otherwise dimness of the wood, and its nostrils flared as the dwarf king nocked an arrow in his bow to slowly aim the projectile at the stag.

"What're you doing…?" Bilbo breathed in shock, the forest air clouding his head so it sounded as if his voice came out slowly.

" **NO**!" As soon as the arrow was loosed, she severed the arrow in half with a swift slash from her sword, breaking the projectile in two and allowing the stag to dash away into the darkness at top speed. Eäriel watched the stag flee and she exhaled slightly in relief.

" _What the devil was that for!?_ " Thorin nearly thundered as she turned to him, his eyes bright with irritation and anger that she had stopped him from killing what could have been dinner for the evening, momentarily throwing her off guard as she had never seen him so irate.

"Killing a white stag is **bad luck**!" Eäriel shouted back, just as irate with him for his greedy actions, glowering into his livid gaze.

Thorin snarled, "If I wanted _your opinion_ on _prolonging the life_ of what _should have been_ _our_ **_dinner_** , I would _**ask** for it!_ "

Eäriel's nostrils flared in anger and he half-expected her to slap him for yelling in her face, but instead she drew back to stride away with a snarled curse in elvish in her wake.

Bilbo shook his head a smidge as the rest of the Company came to their shore, following the elf's leave as the dwarves had to carry Bombur on a makeshift litter as he had fallen asleep while crossing the river.

Oh she could just _strangle_ him! Why in the name of Aulë was he so _dense_ , especially to kill off a revered creature in broad daylight no less?

She once again cursed the magicked air of the forest, finding the troop came to a halt hours later as she bumped into Bifur's back and felt Bilbo bump into her from behind. _Now what?_ She wondered bitingly, watching as Thorin broke rank to ask Nori who was at the helm as to why they had stopped so suddenly.

"The path's disappeared!" Nori answered nervously, causing his leader to look at the leaf-covered ground and see his words were true.

"What's going on?" Dwalin asked as he came to the front.

"The path is gone!" Bofur said, causing his kinsmen to become panicked.

"Find it!" Thorin commanded if only to dispel the anxiety of his companions, to which they broke away to obey his orders and he turned to the lone elf. "Find it for us." He repeated, letting his anger towards her earlier actions fall away to be replaced with a measure of patience for her.

Eäriel looked past him at the ravine that cut between them and what lay on the other side of the chasm, exhaling shallowly, "I will try." She nodded, receiving a bob of his head in thanks before she broke away to also search.

Another hour passed and not a one found the path, and once again he resorted to anger when even the elf didn't find their trajectory, to which she avoided speaking with him and instead lingered with his nephews near the middle of the group as they continued down one path that hopefully led to the Elvenpath.

"… We're going around in circles; we are lost!" Bilbo said as the Company had stopped in a small clearing, looking about to the dwarves to find they were just as anxious as he was, and lastly to the elf who had remained silent since they had tried to find the path.

Eäriel took advantage of the break to sit down on a fallen log and leave her bags on the ground near the tree, rubbing her tired eyes with the side of her hands, giving a shallow sigh that he had heard too many times to count ever since they had run into trouble days ago.

"Where to now?" Dwalin asked of his leader as both dwarves surveyed the area around them.

Thorin shrugged slightly, momentarily lost before he replied, "Dunno…"

"Why not ask her?" The tattooed dwarf nodded slightly to the lone female.

The dwarf king followed his intended direction and a rueful huff escaped him, "I will do _no_ such thing, as apparently _the elf_ can't find her way in a place she so _boasted about_ …" He glared slightly at said female as she pretended she didn't hear him and instead rubbed her temples as if she could make the frustration disappear by just wishing it away.

Annoyed at both the lack of coordination of the dwarves plus the dwarf king's spiteful words towards the only woman who had bothered to give him the time of day, Bilbo shrugged past the two dwarves to sit down with the elf on her log, complacently folding his arms at his chest with a stubborn look on his face.

Even if the dwarves deemed she was of no use, Bilbo thought the complete opposite!

Eäriel lifted her head as the symptoms of a migraine were only strengthening by the seconds that passed to see the dwarves were in a squabble about something or another, most likely about what bits of food or water remained amongst them, and she thought to try and bring peace to her friends when her head gave a sharp throb of pain; she flinched and proceeded to rub her temples once more, closing her eyes to will the pain away.

Bilbo looked on the elf with concern from looking to the dwarves that were fighting amongst each other before he heard Oín say that they had lost the sun. _The sun_ … Yes, they hadn't experienced sunlight in nearly a week! He quickly looked around to find a tree near the log that looked tall enough to breach the canopies above… Setting his bags down, he then approached the tree to begin to climb into its branches.

"Oh for Eru's _sake_ …" Eäriel started to get up and yell at the dwarves to shut it when a very vicious throb jolted through her skull, and she flinched again, lifting her hands to cover her ears as the pain emanated from her eardrums.

It seemed her lesser instincts went on red alert, in the next second that passed, and she closed her eyes tight to listen to those feelings as they rang out in warning.  
 _  
Go… **Run**!_ The small voice in the back of her head commanded, causing her to stiffen in alert.

Again she felt like a rabbit caught in a snare, and as she started to urge the dwarves that they must continue, she felt something very sharp like a needle jab itself into her left shoulder from behind.

" **Eäriel**!"

As soon as she hit the forest floor, her world went black.

 **|} x {|**

With a snarl of annoyance, he yanked the webbing off his face so he could see twelve very familiar faces as they were also coming to, before he quickly scanned the small clearing to find they were shy of their misfits. " _Eäriel!_ " He shouted for the elf, looking about as a long and fourteenth web-encased body fell from the trees' branches and landed with a light ' _thud'_ feet away from he and the dwarves. "Eäriel!" Thank the maker that she was alive; he rushed to her side and quickly began to tear the webbing away to reveal the unnaturally-pale and tired face of their elf, fear threatening to grip his heart in its clutches as he lifted her head as gingerly as possible. "Come on, wake up…" He ordered gruffly, even though he prayed she would open her eyes.

His voice stirred her all the more, and the elleth's brow crinkled before she cracked open her pale blue eyes to firstly see his stormy blue gaze that had brightened with relief yet still showed a hint of fatigue mostly due to the spider poison, secondly noticing the large arachnid that sought to sneak up on the two from one of the surrounding trees.

With sharp reflexes, the elf yanked on his web-covered coat scruff and they rolled out of the way of the spider that dropped down as it had sought to kill them, her head spinning for a moment before she shook it and proceeded to yank the rest of the webbing off her body.

A loud cry sounded as Dwalin met the spider's lunge, hacking the beast right between its eight eyes until it stopped moving altogether. The tattooed warrior glanced over at the elf and his friend before nodding slightly in understanding.

Eäriel grimaced at seeing the webbing clung to her cloak fabric and mentally chided herself for forgetting about the spiders, reflexively nocking an arrow into her drawn bow to let the projectile streak to kill another spider that dropped down on them from the trees, smirking at the satisfying shrill shriek of pain from the felled monster.

Thorin had shaken off the residual effects of the spider poison to watch their elf in action as she cut down another spider, and their eyes met for a moment before a smirk curled his lips upward at seeing he had nothing to worry about; he still had to apologize, sometime soon, preferably as soon as they escaped the spiders. He drew Orcrist as the elleth had already dove into the fray to both aid his kinsmen with the spiders that surrounded them from all sides as well as to exact revenge against the fell beasts; his smirk remained at finding she had yet to waver in the heat of battle before he too joined in the fray as bits of spider went flying with their collective blows.

Eäriel launched herself between one spider and Ori, sticking her arrow's tip through the beast's skull to slay it with ease, finding she still held a special loathing for the large arachnids as she wove in and around the spiders and dwarves; she had resorted to her knives to spare her arrows, hacking and slicing at the beasts in a feral yet fluid manner, something she knew beyond anything was due to her father's Silvan blood that ran through her veins.

Momentarily taking a breather between killing spiders, Thorin got the chance to watch her move, his eyes trained on the she-elf that danced the dangerous and raw dance of battle; his heart did that odd flip-flop in his ribcage as he took note of the conflicting manner in which she fought, his earlier anger towards her nothing but a memory now, her willowy body diving and lunging as she slew the spiders that kept coming.

She was vicious and feral in the heat of battle, yet she was warm and compassionate otherwise, often smiling when in their company… she brightened up like a star in _his_ company especially, like the brightest gem he had ever seen.

He longed for his home again, for the halls that once were filled with golden light, for a proper home for his people. He longed to be King Under the Mountain, to continue what his forefathers had instilled in him since he was a child. He longed to see the Arkenstone once again, to have the precious stone adorn his throne and signify that he was the king who had found it again…

He had never really known what he wanted in life, aside from those things, and even after that there would still be that hole where that something should fill up.

Right now, he wanted her: he wanted her smiles and laughs; he wanted her even in her darkest moments if he could remedy them without hesitation; he wanted to give her the happiness that she deserved… More than anything, he wanted _her_.

"Fall back!" Eäriel shouted as the spiders seemed to regroup despite the dozen or so they had just slain, hearing a snarl sound from the dwarf king as he cut down another spider nearby, and she smiled over at him before her smile fell to spot another large spider lunge at him from the shadows. " **Move**!" She commanded as she shot past him to collide with the spider's large body as the two crashed into the nearby bushes.

"Eäriel!" Thorin started to go to her aid when they skidded to a halt just as movement came from the trees above, thirteen sets of eyes flashing up to the lanky figure of an elf that used the next spider's thick string to swing down to the forest floor, an already-nocked arrow killing the spider in his way.

The blonde elf slid down using the dead spider's body as leverage, landing with another arrow in place in his bowstring as the arrowhead was trained on the dwarf king's forehead. "Do not think I won't kill you, dwarf… It'd be a pleasure." He drawled coldly, not bothering in glancing around as his hunting party shortly surrounded the dwarves from either side.

Stabbing her knife's blade into the spider's skull to make sure it was truly dead, the elleth looked up and back to her friends to find with surprise that they were surrounded on both sides by a party of elves. "Damn." She hissed under her breath, yanking her blade free to return it to her quiver before she broke into a run to go to their aid.

Maybe Eru had a sick sense of humor, and maybe today would be the last day she breathed freely… She hoped the lattermost was far from true.

A loud growl erupted from a flash of gray that bounded into the middle of the clearing before a mass of fur collided with the blonde elf and sent them both sprawling to the side.

The Company looked on in shock at the lone wolf that had shown up out of the blue, watching as the canine stiffly walked away from the surprised elf that was gathering his bearings to come to a halt before them, the beast's stormy gray eyes solely looking on their king who stiffened in apprehension.

A soft whine came from the she-wolf as her tail wagged in elation, and she lifted her muzzle to press her cold nose to his bearded cheek in what one would assume was a kiss; at hearing the elf turn to them, she turned about to snarl defensively at the blonde who glowered at her before she closed her eyes, standing taller as her body shifted and elongated.

"Surely you would know better than to callously kill one I hold dear, Legolas." Eäriel declared frigidly.

* * *

 _ **an** : i really am good at cliffies, apparently.. **/brick'd** alrighty well, i think that's all i'll put for today, but i'll admit that things are going to be rather interesting come next chapter. and with that, i'll let you lot reflect. and maybe **review for once**? not that i'm whining but come on, nearly ten chapters in here guys.. anyway, later!_


	11. Like these Autumn Leaves II

.

* * *

Shock spilled through the hunting party, seeming to resound deeply within the thoroughly-surprised blonde.

Brow furrowing into a conflicted glare, the Woodland Prince snapped, "I thought you dead nearly a century ago." His piercing blue orbs briefly raked over her web-dirtied clothes to the bits of web in her mane of hair she'd pulled back into a thick plait, then lastly settling on her tired yet lovely face covered with bits of blood and dirt, her equally-piercing glare holding quiet anger with him for what he had nearly done to her companion.

"And I thought you'd left home ages ago; don't tell me your dearly cynical father has you glued to his hip." Snapped the Wanderer with a cold smirk on her lips as her former allies tensed in place at her brashness.

"And betrayed my kin like _you_ obviously have?" Legolas scoffed, seeing her smirk falter, as he added so the filthy dwarves could hear him, "How could you walk away from having the life you had to involve yourself with these creatures?" He demanded, hurt starting to lace his words.

Eäriel flexed her fingers as they curled into fists at her sides, "I…" She started to say when a cry for help sounded nearby, causing her to yank her stare away from his as the dwarves with her looked about to find they were one short of thirteen, and her stomach lurched as she watched Fili call for his brother. "Kili!" She shouted at hearing a breaking of branches and brush only yards away, beginning to go to his aid when a hand grabbed hold of her left forearm and halted her. She turned her head to glare up at his piercing blue eyes and her lip curled, "Let me go, Legolas!" She ordered, trying to yank free of his grip but that was for naught as he held fast to her sleeve.

"Take your hand off her." Rumbled the king as he intervened and yanked the ellon's hand away from the female's arm; blue clashed with blue with unimaginable scorn before the dwarf king gently shoved his elleth behind him, earning several surprised looks from the elves around them, the prince especially.

Eäriel looked on the suddenly protective king with pleasant surprise, perking up as Kili was then ushered into the clearing by a familiar redheaded she-elf, and she both relaxed as well as tensed in place as Legolas commanded they be searched.  
 _  
Great, everyone was present and accounted for_.

Begrudgingly handing over her weapons, the elleth glowered at the redhead as she arched a brow at her, silently reminding her that elf eyes saw everything; hiding her blades would be nothing shy of impossible. She reached down to withdraw her knives from their places in her boots, defiance lingering in her cold gaze as she thrust them into her awaiting hand. " _I've missed you too_ , Gwathel." She mused blandly as the redhead began to leave with her weapons.

A soft frown began to show on her pretty face as Tauriel looked to the brunette, " _We had thought you dead when you didn't return, you know_." She pointed out in the same tone.

" _So I hear. At least you haven't tried to kill me, or my friends_." And she was grateful for that, she would admit. Eäriel sighed slightly as their stares held and she nodded her chin a smidge to the redhead before she left. Her ears twitched when one of the other elves found Orcrist on the dwarf king's person and her eyes narrowed as the ancient blade was presented to the hunting party's leader.

Legolas marveled at the sword's grandness as it had remained sharp even after so many years, murmuring aloud, " _An ancient blade forged by my kin_ …" He brandished it aimlessly before his eyes fell on the master of the sword, a glare furrowing his brow. "Where did you get this?" He demanded.

"It was given to me," growled Thorin, stiffening in place when his sword's tip was then trained on his forehead at the drop of a hat, glaring from the sword to the ellon wielding it.

"Not just a thief, but a liar on top of that." Legolas snapped coldly, perking up as a slender hand's pointer finger pushed the sword tip away so it no longer threatened its master, his glare deepening as the she-elf stepped in the way. "Move." He ordered, and when she simply stood as a shield for the dwarf king with her arms folded complacently at her chest, he aimed the blade's tip at her throat. "Eäriel, move." He repeated in the same hardened tone.

Eäriel only arched a brow in challenge, "You would really kill an unarmed woman, an unarmed woman that is _your betrothed_ no less?" She drawled with venom in her tone, watching his glare falter for a moment at her reminder.

Legolas lowered the sword stiffly only to command his hunting party, " _Take them to the king!_ "

Eäriel let him turn away before she spat at the ground where he had stood, turning away with a defiant tilt of her chin upward as she fell in step behind Thorin, momentarily glancing about at seeing they were shy of one member.  
 _  
Bilbo, where are you?_

 **|} x {|**

While one was to marvel at the grandness of Rivendell or Caras Galadhon, the many stone paths that wove in and about the kingdom like a maze and the water that carved indentions in the stone was definitely another marvel.

Yet she remembered these halls perfectly, having memorized which ones went where and which ones led to any hopes of escape; she felt it had only been a year since she had set foot within the halls of the Woodland Realm.

Eäriel glanced at the dwarves as the elves separated them from she and Thorin, earning several protests from her friends, namely from the princes before they were led deeper into the kingdom and down where the dungeons were; she inhaled and kept behind Thorin, not having to be prodded to continue, as she knew just where they were headed without having to ask or even guess.

And in a way, she was anxious to see her former king, if only to prove that there could be peace after all.

Wordlessly the odd couple was led further until they were brought to the stone dais of the king's throne, the terrace of stone holding a high chair with an intricately-woven top of the chair, and the king that sat on his throne chair looked just as haughty as the dwarf remembered he looked.

Thranduil was the same cynical and cold elven lord he had been when she had left, but his fair features hid that mask very well, and his grandness almost made it so noone saw how he had worsened in the last century; he was as blonde and blue-eyed as Legolas, save that he was fully aware of his haughtiness whereas the latter chose not to act on it very much if at all. He had been lounging in his throne chair only to straighten at recognizing the dwarf king as well as the she-elf standing dutifully at the dwarf's side with a neutral expression on her lovely face.

So she was alive after all.

"And just _what_ , pray, do we have here?" Drawled the king in a cool tone, his cold and piercing eyes looking from the dwarf king to the elleth to settle on her, finding her neutral mask had not wavered an inch.

"Intruders, milord; we found them fighting off the spiders." Tauriel informed as she came to the dais from having helped put the prisoners away in the dungeons below, the keys for the cells held lightly in hand as she stood alongside the blonde prince.

"How interesting," the Elvenking hummed blandly, his gaze flickering from the brunette female to her male counterpart, and he asked, "What are they doing in _my_ forest, I wonder…?"

"We can speak, you know." The collected tone in her voice had fallen away for a hint of disgust to enter as she interrupted him, ignoring the cold look from the prince behind her as well as the sharp look from his father before them.

Legolas started to excuse her rudeness when his father held up a hand to gesture he silence, and his lips formed into a thin line as he watched him rise from the chair to inspect both intruders, his blue eyes looking on the she-elf more times than he cared to admit.

Thranduil did not share his son's apprehension however, as a bemused and cold smirk curled the corners of his lips, and he circled the odd couple. "Resorting to rudeness when silence is _much_ more suitable reminds me of when I took joy in your absence, _dear_ Wanderer." He caught her neutral expression that irked him just the slightest before continuing, "Of course it makes sense now as to why you are so unbecoming and completely intolerable, seeing that you've become so familiar with these creatures instead of your own kind, even going so far as to protect the crownless excuse for a king before me…"

"You can insult me however long you so please, I truly don't care what you think of me, but leave him out of this. This foolish business does not involve my king." Eäriel cut across him, her tone sharp and frigid like the knife she suddenly wished she held on hand, her jaw tense as she met his arched-brow expression with a stony look of her own as her neutral mask had fled the instant he started to goad her temper.

Thranduil all-but laughed at her, though on the inside he loathed the brash and insolent manner in which she felt such loyalty to a king not of her race. "Ah, there it is… that fire, that sense of honor you pride above anything else in this world. You are just like her, you know, Elenathiel… That deluded and naïve half-breed." Only seeing the fire burn with a more potent sense of rage, he allowed his smirk to show. "Now back to ' _this foolish business'_ as you so sweetly put it, I have taken into consideration that you shall be wed to my son within a week from today… I am sure Elrond will agree with those terms, so long as you linger among your people as you rightfully should. That is a much better sentence than death, is it not?" He wondered coolly as he straightened up slightly with his hands clasped at his back, watching the fire simmer vibrantly in her piercing eyes with bemusement, turning to retake his throne chair.

" _Coward_." Eäriel hissed, seeing him stiffen before he looked at her over his shoulder, her teeth clacking as she continued in the same cold voice, "I know what it is you would do if I were to be your daughter-in-law, that you would lock me up in this cold kingdom until the end of time! _You would force me to marry a man I do not love!_ " Her voice rose with her fury, causing those who were watching –Thorin included—to flinch slightly at her loudness, " _Noone will ever control me, least of all you, you disgusting creature! You turned your back on a people that desperately needed your help, you would rather lock yourself up within your darkened walls and become a decrepit and hollowed thing, rather than help those that need it! You have no right to be king!_ " She roared as her entire body quivered with the bottled-up rage, hurt and disgust she felt towards the esteemed great king, her piercing eyes that stung with restrained tears watching his expression drift from interest to a gaping expression as if she had just slapped him. She panted slightly, glowering heatedly up at the elven lord.

Shock gave way to anger, and before she could register what happened, his hand fisted in the scruff of her tunic and yanked her forward; she heard a snarled curse in dwarvish behind her, her cold glare locked firmly with the equally frigid glare of her former king, watching rage burn in his cold orbs. Her nostrils flared as she bared her teeth at him in a vain measure of defiance.

"You haven't the _slightest_ _idea_ of _what a king_ _should_ and _should not do,_ you _foolish_ _child_. If you will not obey _my decree_ then you are as _worthless and hopeless_ as _that dwarf_ you _so_ **_love_** …" Thranduil seethed, releasing her of his grasp by thrusting her back so she hit the floor of the dais with a slight grunt, standing his full height as the she-elf slightly picked herself up and her chest heaved softly with the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, blue clashing with blue with loathing lingering on the electrified air. "Since you cannot be reasoned with, you will stay within my halls, but as a _prisoner_. _Three thousand years_ should be little more than months to an elf." He commanded, gesturing she be taken away.

Hauled up by Legolas, Eäriel looked away from the Elvenking to the dwarf she had been captured with, and behind the relief in his blue eyes that met hers she saw something else muddled with the anger he felt towards their _'host'_ ; she slightly nodded her chin down in assurance that they would speak of it later, grimacing slightly when the blonde prince then led her away from the dais and down to the lower floors of the kingdom.

 **|} x {|**

"Lass!" Balin said once the she-elf came into view, causing the rest of the dwarves to perk up or jump to their feet in surprise within their respective cells.

Eäriel smiled at her friends, albeit her smile didn't linger for long as she was reminded of her long sentence in imprisonment, looking away as her cell door was opened by one of the guards that had accompanied her captor; she was briefly surprised she was not forced inside and instead was ushered inside by the guard, entering the cell after being unshackled only to hear the door close behind her, and she turned as the door was being locked by the prince on the other side. She raised a brow at his expression that looked rather conflicted, as if he wished to ask her something. "What is it?" She asked quietly.

Legolas looked briefly at the dwarves in the cells nearby and across from her cell, giving a slight exhale as he put the keys away, meeting her curious stare and asking quietly, " _Why him?_ " He doubted he could forget her face after she had left the kingdom, and even when he should be as livid with her as his father obviously was, he still held a soft spot for her in his heart. Even if she was never to marry him, he still cared.

" _He… Well, I am not sure why. But I know that he is a king I can trust with my life, a king with compassion for those he loves… I needed someone to believe in, when I could not find it here_." She answered in like tongue, lowering her gaze a smidge as her face softened at mention of the dwarf.

" _That isn't true, you had_ _ **me**_ _. And Tauriel as well… You could believe in me. You once did, long ago, did you not?_ " He returned with a hint of anger starting to seep into his quieted voice, their language she had heard little of within the last hundred years sounding like smooth waters to her ears as it rolled off his tongue, and he lifted his gaze to hers that had lifted as he spoke. " _Eäriel, you do not have to suffer like this, you know that…_ Mell nîn." He had only called her that once, and he remembered it made her tremble slightly but she had looked at him with pride in her pale blue eyes…

" _I don't have to, you're right… But I would be betraying my heart if I accepted your father's terms_." Eäriel swallowed even as some small part of her chest ached at his petname, and she closed her eyes on the image of his saddened blue gaze, turning away to the dimness of her cell. She heard him shortly leave without another word, and she exhaled shakily, sitting down by the door with her back to the uneven stone and sadness plucking at her heartstrings.  
 _  
Don't do it, don't you dare, don't cry_ …

"Eäri?" A small voice asked from a bit of a ways, causing her to hurriedly brush the ghosts of tears from her eyes to look across from her cell to meet the worried brown eyes of the dwarf prince.

The she-elf smiled weakly at him. "I'm fine, Kili, just tired." She lied; she could not tell him of the exchange between she and the elves, of the cold welcome she had received, as she didn't want to make him believe every elf was bad.

This was her battle, not his, or his brother's.

"We all heard you yelling up there, they didn't hurt you… did they?" Fili chimed in, worry also lacing his voice as he looked to the elf from his cell he shared with Kili.

Eäriel shook her head, smiling warmly at the manner in which he and Kili sported, "No, they didn't hurt me, Fili." She assured.

"Are you so sure, lass?" Dori asked from a cell near hers.

"Aye, you know we've got no problem reminding those pointy-eared elves to respect a lady." Dwalin agreed with a biting edge to his gruff voice extended not to her but to her kin, earning a few murmurs of agreement from the others.

Her lips quirked up into a shy smile even as tears prickled at her eyes, and she chuckled quietly. "I'm fine, lads, I am just glad we're all safe… I never wanted to come back to this place, to be fair." Her voice slightly wavered on the last three words before she cleared her throat and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Eäriel…" Fili started to say, straightening slightly when his uncle was then brought to the dungeons, watching as the two guards opened the door for the elf's cell to thrust the dwarf king inside and proceed to unshackle him before slamming the door shut and locking it. "Uncle!" He said in relief.

"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asked from his cell on the right.

"He did! And I told him he could…" Thorin scoffed before uttering the foul curse, causing Dwalin and some of the older dwarves to snort or chuckle in amusement, and his blue eyes lifted to the higher echelons of the kingdom as he added loudly, " _Him and all his kin!_ "

Balin smiled ruefully at their leader's ire, huffing, "Well that settles it; a deal was our only hope."

Thorin glanced around at the higher echelons again, "Not our only hope." He muttered under his breath.

"Your insult was much more colorful than mine." Her familiar voice mused nearby, causing the dwarf to slightly jump before he looked at her as she sat just inches out of the light of the lanterns outside of their cells with her knees held to her chest, and when a look of relief settled on his rugged face she in turn smiled fondly. Her words to Legolas and Thranduil's sentence came back to her then, and she shuddered before straightening to approach him, her longer arms pulling him into an embrace that he accepted gladly.

The dwarf king held fast to their she-elf, feeling her shiver against him before she spoke, her voice cracking in places he didn't know were there, only spurring him to squeeze on her back.

"I am so sorry… I never meant for this to happen, for you to be dragged into this miserable fate…" The she-elf croaked, surprise filling her when he tried to shush her and get her to calm down.

"You are the one who doesn't deserve this, not I." Thorin stated quietly, her earlier words shouted at the Elvenking ringing in his ears and a wry smile made his bearded face twitch upward. "You had every right to speak your piece, as well." He mused.

Eäriel paused at his words, smiling softly and nodding, holding tighter to him. "We will escape from here… I promise you that." She whispered with a quiet exhale.

 **|} x {|**

Dawn had not come yet, though within the stone walls of the kingdom, she could hardly tell when the sun rose and when it set.

"Eäriel!"

Rousing and briefly wondering if the after-effects of being within Mirkwood hadn't left her to hear voices that weren't there, the she-elf lifted her head from the stone floor and her tired muscles ached in response to being awoken, her still-sleep-filled eyes looking past the bars of her cell at the darkness of the dungeons. "Bilbo, is that you?" She whispered, having recognized the small voice that had called to her in the shadows, rubbing sand from her eyes that strangely didn't see her friend. Odd.

"Are you all right?" The hobbit asked quietly from just outside of the cell, invisible thanks to his ring he still wore as he had found the elves didn't really see him after he had snuck into the kingdom the other day, watching the female lift into a sitting position as she scooted closer to the bars.

"Yes, just a bit tired, but I'm fine. Thorin and the others are fine as well, still sleeping though." The elleth replied in the same tone, hearing a slight sigh of relief come from her invisible friend, and she smiled wryly before adding, "Thank the Valar that you're alive, Master Burglar." Perhaps he really would be able to steal the Arkenstone after all.

It was uncommon for elf eyes to not see what was meant to be seen, lest said being wished to be unseen.

Bilbo chuckled slightly at her gentle jab, nodding. "I had no idea this place would be so vast, it's been difficult to find a safe place to sleep!" He mused.

"Aye, I didn't expect we'd end up here… I am glad you're here though, for I've come up with a way for us to flee from this miserable fate." At the halfling's quiet urging for her to go on, Eäriel continued, "There is a way for us to get out of here undetected, and I doubt the king has sealed it off like he's most likely sealed off the other exits." She then explained in an equally-quiet voice how she had escaped through the wine cellars a few levels below the dungeons and used the downward chute for the barrels that dropped into the forest river that led off until it would intersect with the Anduin miles away.

"Sounds like a brilliant plan, though the question is when… The elves will have to be distracted with something, something grand, most likely." Bilbo pondered as he scritched his head, making a pensive expression she didn't see.

"October, and it's nearly winter… Aha!" Eäriel snapped her fingers, grinning at the sheer genius of the holiday's fortuitous coming. "The Feast of Starlight, it's only a day or so away from today… Everyone will be occupied with the festivities, giving us the perfect chance to escape!" She said quietly to her friend.

Bilbo found himself grinning as well at the chance, nodding his head. "Yes, yes, good!" At a loud snort from one of the dwarves in the nearby cells, he was reminded that he still ran the risk of being caught, and he shuffled to his feet from having sat before the elf. "I'll check the cellars, before anyone finds me." He said in a hiss.

Eäriel nodded and smiled warmly at him, "Be careful, and come back once you get the chance. Best of luck!" She drew away from the bars, still smiling at the fortune that had shown itself to their plight, and looked over at her cellmate as he still slept; she would tell him of their plan later on after he awoke. She had been surprised he didn't snore as loudly as his kinsmen, though she imagined it was because he kept on alert more often than naught in the past, and her eyes softened the longer she watched him sleep.

It seemed the cares of the world that had been thrust upon a much younger dwarf king were nothing more than a ghost of a memory, and he looked peaceful in sleep…

If only he were so peaceful when awake!

 **|} x {|**

Thorin stroked his beard pensively as he absorbed all she had told him regarding the conversation between she and their burglar, knowing she was waiting for him to accept the idea as mad as it was, glancing up at her for a brief moment from under his brow. A smile ghosted his lips at seeing her nearly bouncing in place in excitement, a childlike zeal for the freedom they all deserved and wanted present in her eyes and lovely face, and his thoughts during the battle with the spiders came back to him then.

He still wanted her, he wouldn't deny that, though he wondered if she had come to the same realization as quickly as he had.

"That surely explains how you fled this place without a struggle." He mused quietly.

"I don't think Thranduil sealed it off; he's always been a wine bibber, from what Legolas told me in the past, and from what I remember when I once lived here." She nodded, huffing at the memories that came back in that moment.

The dwarf also huffed at mention of the prince, looking up as the guards were dispensing lunch to their prisoners and he stiffened as their food was brought to them. "Speak of the devil." He did not hide his scorn towards the blonde.

Legolas slid the dwarf's platter under the cell door first, having heard his scornful comment and only shooting him a glare that was reciprocated with pronounced irritation, looking to the female he had come to visit as she had sat closer to the bars and he slid her platter to her. " _Is he always like that?_ " He wondered quietly.

" _Is he intimidating you, then?_ " Eäriel returned in like tongue, taking a bite out of the slightly dated roll of bread, for a moment missing the sweet bread that Beorn had made for them a week ago.

" _You have not lost your sweet disposition_." Legolas smirked thoughtfully with a slight shake of his head.

Eäriel rolled her eyes, returning the smirk, " _I've missed you too, you prat_." She murmured with a sideways glance.

" _At least you are talking to me; Tauriel sends her regards, as well_." He mused, reaching into a pouch on his belt and withdrawing a red apple, offering it to her.

Eäriel paused at mention of her old friend, smiling a smidge, before taking the apple from his hand. " _Is she well?_ " She wondered quietly.

" _She is conflicted, between what my father says about you and what she believes to be true. She was promoted to Guard Captain about a century ago._ " Legolas answered in the same tone.

" _My congratulations, then; who took my place as second to the captain?_ " She nodded with a softened way in the smile that remained on her lips.

" _Elros, I believe_." At her quirked brow as he said the ellon's name wryly, he shook his head and added, " _not very skilled at it, I'll admit… You outshined any of them. You still do_." He met her eyes with a smile tugging at his lips.

She nodded slightly and replied, " _tell Tauriel I said thank you for being kind to your prisoners_." She knew he still cared for her, even though she would never go through with marrying him in the end, and once again she was reminded that he was not his father.

Still, he was blood, and that counted in her opinion.

He nodded slightly, knowing the dwarf was glaring at him from the corner of his eye, and he said, " _I would hope he is worth it_." And he meant that, because he would revive him from the dead to kill him with his own hand for leaving her heartbroken.

She looked at him with a measure of surprise as he straightened to leave her be, quieting as she considered his comment for a moment before returning to her meal.

At least they were being fed, something she had a feeling was the redhead elleth's doing.

"He wasn't trying to win you over, was he?" Thorin rumbled curiously once they had finished their meal, sending a brief scowl past the cell door before he watched her as she straightened to sit with him in the dimness of the cell.

Eäriel felt her brow twitch and she flicked his ear, a soft scoff escaping her as he rubbed his ear gingerly. "I am not a damsel easily won over by a man's honeyed words, you tosspot." She stated.

Thorin made a face and was not surprised when an amused light shone in her eyes before she chuckled, reluctantly resigning himself to her amusement. "No, in fact, you are not. You're too untamable for that." Too untamable, too clever… Irony how he was realizing this now, in their current predicament.

Her cheeks warmed and she smiled fondly at his words, exhaling as she leaned her head against the uneven wall behind her. "He means well, but he knows I won't compromise like he hopes I will… I will choose who to love, not them, not Elrond. I will be the one to determine my life." She confessed quietly.

And she would, he knew that despite what had befallen her, she would be the one to determine her fate and find love on her own.

Some small part of him believed it was _he_ she indicated.

 **|} x {|**

Another day had passed, but that might as well have been a decade.

The night prior, once the dwarves had fallen asleep and the rest of the kingdom was overall quiet, their invisible shadow had returned to converse with the she-elf; he had found the cellars she had told him of and they quietly went over how the eve of _Melith-nuin-Giliath_ would go, that he would steal the keys to the cells and she would retrieve her weapons, before they met up in the cellars to escape from the kingdom. Once Thorin awoke after Bilbo left again to hide until the appointed time, Eäriel in turn explained how their escape was going to go, and she would admit she was as anxious to leave her former home as far behind her as the dwarves felt.

Eäriel began to hear the festivities going on in the higher levels of the kingdom, granted she had to strain her hearing a bit but she heard it nonetheless, and she felt anxiety plus excitement surmount inside her belly like a flame. "Thorin." She turned to her cellmate, knowing Bilbo would come soon, and she took these last moments of quiet to speak with the dwarf.

Thorin straightened slightly from leaning against the wall at her beckon, looking at her with surprise as she took his hands in hers until he lifted his gaze that met hers and confusion began to make a frown show on his brow. "Is there something wrong?" He asked.

"Take this." Eäriel said as she had withdrawn her gifted knife from its place concealed beneath the inner folds of her right sleeve, depositing it into his palm, watching surprise show in his blue orbs before she added, "A promise that I will come back to you, after getting my weapons back." She already knew where they were, knowing that was sometimes the location of weapons that would not be used again or their masters had been killed or left them behind for some reason.

He looked down at the knife to find it was the knife Dis had given her, momentarily wondering how she had snuck it past the elves' sight, and he nodded as he drew away to place it in the inner folds of his left boot. "I know you will come back, because I will breathe easier when we leave this place together… You should not have had to suffer for us, for me, but I am grateful you are here." He said as he lifted his stare to hold hers again, seeing her cheeks warm, and he stepped closer to take her hand in his.

She felt her ears burn as his words sunk in and she felt a shiver travel up her spine when he left a kiss on her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thorin…" She began.

"Eäriel, it's time!" Bilbo hissed as he had come from the cellars, remaining invisible until she left the cell.

She chuckled slightly at the halfling's signal, looking into the king's blue gaze with warmth in her softened stare, before she leaned in to chastely press her lips to his; her ears were reddened as her cheeks began to look the same shade as she drew away before he could register what happened, and she squeezed his hand. "I will see you soon." She promised, sparing him a smile before turning to the cell door.

Her form shifted and shrank until a small brown thrush hovered in the air of the cell, her wings flapping as she flew in a small circle around the dwarf king's head before she flew past the bars and out into the dungeons.

Bilbo watched the thrush fly away and down into the lower level where the armory was, looking at Thorin as he undid the door's locks with the key, removing his ring and asking with a measure of wonder, "Has she always been able to do that?"

Thorin huffed slightly, a smile playing at his lips as he replied, "She didn't tell you, then." He clapped a hand on the hobbit's shoulder before they both began to set the others free, shushing the surprised and relieved exclamations the dwarves extended to the halfling.

Soon the troop was free of their prison, and Dwalin started to lead the way to the higher echelons when Bilbo quickly motioned they rush down to the cellars that were at the bottom level of the kingdom; Thorin motioned they follow the halfling's lead as he brought up the rear, glancing up at the higher levels now and then as they descended, praying to the maker that they would all escape together as his thoughts often flitted to the she-elf.

"I don't believe it… we're in their cellars!" Kili hissed to his sibling as they reached the appointed floor, quickly scanning the inebriated-and-now-asleep elves that had drunk a bit too much wine.

Bofur scolded the hobbit, "You're supposed to be leading us out, not further in!"

"I know what I'm doing…" Bilbo began to snap before the hat-wearing dwarf shushed him as they passed around the sleeping elves until they reached the small area around the trap door where the barrels would go down into the river that the elf had told him about. As he had already counted out thirteen barrels for the dwarves, he took a brief glance at the elves present before adding, "Hurry, into the barrels!"

Dwalin strode up to the halfling, "Are you mad? They'll find us!" He hissed.

"No, no they won't I promise you, please trust me!" Bilbo pleaded anxiously, fighting the urge to slap his forehead as the twelve dwarves then huddled into a small debate over his words, and he looked desperately to Thorin for aid.

Thorin snapped at the dwarves, "do as he says!"

At their king's command, the twelve then proceeded to climb into the barrels waiting for them, Dwalin and Dori helping hoist some into the barrels on the top of the stack; said dwarf king then joined them as he shimmied into the last barrel on the bottom of the pile.

Bilbo walked infront of the barrels, counting thirteen dwarves present and took relief in that, before Bofur poked his head out of his barrel on the top of the stack.

"What do we do now?" Asked the hat-wearing dwarf, causing the remainder of his kinsmen to simultaneously poke their heads out and look at the halfling.

"Hold your breath, lads." Came the calm voice of their elf as she had raced down the steps and tiptoed around the sleeping elves nearby, her weapons present and accounted for, and she shushed the dwarves when some greeted her with relief. She looked to the halfling and both shared a brief nod before they grabbed hold of the large and heavy lever that opened the trapdoor, pulling it backward and causing the barrel-encased dwarves to fall down into the stream beneath the castle.

"You've got everything back, then… E-Eäriel!" Bilbo squeaked in surprise as the she-elf then hoisted him up by the scruff so they shortly followed the dwarves' leave, giving a slight yell as they dropped into the stream with a collective ' _splash'_.

 **|} x {|**

Eäriel gasped as they resurfaced, giving a giggle when Bilbo shook his mop of hair free of water before she urged he grab onto Nori's barrel. "Missed me, then?" She asked of her friends, smiling.

"Job well done you two!" Thorin nodded to their misfits, causing the elleth's smile to widen as she waded over to hop into his barrel with him, and he led the way for the rest of the party as their stream deposited right into the forest river. "Hang on!" He called to the others.

The she-elf yelped slightly as the rather tumultuous current tugged and forced them to follow its course, clinging to the dwarf with her on reflex, hurriedly wiping water from her eyes as Ori's barrel went around a tall boulder that caused a small bend in the river. "Ori!" She called, her voice trailing off as a horn resounded from the gates behind them, and she quickly looked back with horror bleeding through her system as she spotted a head of blonde on the gate. "Valar, no…" She breathed, looking back at the dwarves with them, "Speed it up, come on!" She shouted.

"No!" Thorin shouted as the grates on the far gates that would survey the river only yards away suddenly slammed shut just as their barrel dove beneath the gates to bump against the iron latticework. "Damn it!" He swore.

Eäriel looked past the dwarves as their barrels shortly entered the alcove with them, silently gulping as she deemed if they were not allowed to exit, then she would make a way for them. She briefly looked at the dwarf king with her before she shimmied out of the barrel and dove underwater, swimming around the barrels on the right of the alcove to resurface with a slight gasp near the opening of the alcove, panting softly as she drew her knives from her quiver. "I am sorry, Legolas…" She mumbled, beginning to enter into the open when a guttural growl sounded and an orc was dropped into the river, resurfacing just in time for her to lash out and stick her left knife in its throat; she briefly noted the glowing blue blade that had stuck into the orc's belly from the shade of the alcove and she smirked at the halfling's quick jab. "Stay back, all of you, there's orcs!" She ordered the dwarves, grunting as she skewered the next orc by its chest, drawing her arm back to make for the shore.

Ducking and weaving as well as slicing orcs in her way, the elleth nearly reached the lever when a burly orc snarled as it attempted to take her head with its crude scimitar only to gurgle in pain as she stabbed both blades into its sternum; she shoved the dead beast away with a sharp kick, ducking as another orc that got in her way made to grab at her mane of hair. She sliced at its legs with ease, twisting on her heel to cleanly sever its head from its shoulders, allowing the filth to fall over into the river with a ' _splash_ '. Momentarily given a chance to breathe, she yanked on the lever and slammed it down, hearing the grate open just as the dwarves were set free.

" _Eäriel!_ " Thorin shouted for the elf as they were carried away by the current, blearily looking back at the bridge as he spotted her head of brown, perking up in alert as a tall and pale orc launched itself at her out of the corner of her eye. " _ **NO**!_ " He roared against the river's tumultuous crashes it made against his barrel.

A vain gurgle sounded from the corner of her eye, causing the elleth to look in shock at the orc fell at her feet with twin arrows embedded in its throat. "Those arrows…" She murmured, not believing it for even a second even though her heart leapt for joy at the signs.

" ** _Muinthel_** _!_ " Twin voices sounded from the nearby trees as her brothers came into view, both wielding their respective bow or knives.

Eäriel beamed at seeing her brothers, ducking as another orc flew at her from the left, only to be cut down with an arrow loosed from Elladan's bow. "Bless me… Come on, let's go!" She declared as she jumped across the distance between she and her siblings, speeding off after the dwarves' wake downriver with the twins flanking her.

"We've got the ones across the river!" Elrohir declared as he and Elladan sent arrow after arrow flying to cut down the orcs on the opposing side of the river, leaving their sister to keep up with the dwarves.

Eäriel's feet nearly flew over the grassy riverbank as she only stopped in her pursuit of the troop to cut down the orcs in her way, slashing and slicing the hideous beasts with ease. " **Thorin**!" She called as a stray orc sought to jump onto his barrel from a partially-felled log that hovered over the tumultuous waters, watching with a measure of amazement as he slammed the borrowed crude weapon into the beast's torso and pinned it, catching the dropped axe from said orc to toss it to Dwalin who tossed it to Fili. She perked up as another orc had crawled onto the rocks of the left of the river and sought to kill Dwalin in his barrel, before she sent a throwing knife streaking through the air to lodge the blade in the beast's skull, giving a quick nod to the tattooed warrior who snatched the dead orc's axe as Thorin commanded they cut down the log carrying five orcs on its top.

" _Muinthel_ , come on!" Elladan called to their sister as he and Elrohir had cut down the orcs behind them, grabbing her arm as they flew after the dwarves, "Legolas and the others are not far behind!" He added as she ran alongside him and his brother.

Eäriel hopped over the orcs that were felled as if they were bundles of hay from the dwarves' blows given via their borrowed weapons, looking across the river to the opposing side as a barrel-encased Bombur rolled along the uneven earth and crushed the unfortunate orcs in his way until he landed amidst several of them in a rocky patch. She shook her head with a wry scoff at the image of a twisting and twirling dwarf as he cut down the orcs around him with two borrowed axes on hand, looking at the dwarves in the river as the pudgy dwarf joined their company again to spot a head of blonde that had jumped atop the dwarves, loosing arrows with fluid repetition at the orcs that remained and hopped from one dwarf head to another before landing for a second on Dwalin's bald head as he loosed another arrow. She actually laughed at finding he remained to be the little cheek he had been years ago, letting an arrow fly from her own bow to cut down the orc that was to be his next kill, and a smirk curled her lips as she nodded to him from the shore.

"Legolas certainly is cheeky, isn't he?" Elrohir laughed as he cut down another orc in the way with ease as his knives severed the beast's head from its shoulders.

"Hasn't changed since last we saw him!" Elladan agreed as he helped Eäriel take down several more orcs via their arrows.

Eäriel rolled her eyes at her brothers' comments, watching two orcs advance on the prince as he had jumped across to their side of the river and she let another arrow fly to cut down the second orc with the projectile embedded in its skull, before Thorin chucked a crude axe at the first orc that sought to behead the blonde from behind. She looked at the dwarf king and grinned at his good throw, giving a nod before shouldering her bow to urge her brothers follow her leave as together they flew after the dwarves further downriver.

"It was nice seeing you again, Legolas!" Elladan called to the blonde in their wake.

"Good to see things haven't changed a bit with you, my friend!" Elrohir chimed in.

Legolas straightened slightly from regaining his breath to look at the trio of elves that flew after the dwarves' escape, watching the lone female glance back at him over her shoulder before she picked up the pace, and for a moment he recalled that her heart was not with him as it had been when last he saw her. He huffed softly at the reminder, smirking at the brunette siblings' leave.

* * *

 _ **an** : okay first of all, **1000** \+ views, i cannot thank you guys enough! i may cry.. also, a s/o to my first reviewer, thank you **Lalaithiel** for the first review! i will do my best to keep it up. also, oh look the plot thickens! along with a few twists and turns too... and with that, i'll leave you to enjoy this chap. lates!_


	12. This Lonely Little Town, PtI

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"I think we've lost the orcs!"

"Not for long, we've lost the current too! Make for the shore!"

Thirteen dwarves plus one hobbit paddled their way to the nearby rocky shore with the dwarf king being the first to make land; he clambered onto the rocks with a slight sigh of relief before lugging his barrel onto the bank, helping some of the dwarves from their barrels before he looked off to the stilled waters, a frown prominently set on his brow as his thoughts once again strayed to the elleth.

"Where's Eäriel?" Bilbo asked as he had wrung out some of his coat, looking to the dwarf king before the stilled surface of the river they had escaped.

Kili and Fili also looked at the river with worry in their eyes for the she-elf.

Thorin started to call for her before they heard the rushing of feet on the banks leading up to where they had landed, and hope started to fill his chest as he wanted to believe that was her, and that she had survived the chase.

"Thorin!" The elleth called as she and her brothers came into view, grinning from ear to ear at spotting his familiar head of dark hair not a hundred yards from them, and she broke the distance between them at a sprint; happiness made her heart soar once again as she barreled right for her companions, throwing herself into the dwarf king's arms.

Said dwarf actually laughed at being tackled, nearly crushing her to his chest as he felt her fingers curl in his hair and she laughed softly in relief and at actually tasting freedom like if she had not tasted it in a thousand years. "We're alive!" She said, drawing away from him with reluctance to accept the collective embrace from the princes and reciprocate just as tightly.

"Erm, Eäriel, care to explain a little?" Bilbo asked with slight hesitation, causing the joyous moment to falter a degree as he nodded to the twins.

Eäriel caught the curious looks her brothers earned from the dwarves and she chuckled slightly, "You all remember my brothers, Elladan and Elrohir." She said as she gestured to her siblings, before a thought struck her and she asked them, "Hang on, how did you two know I would be in the Woodland Realm?" She didn't think they would have been allowed to venture so far into the other elven territory, from what she knew of their father's overprotective manner he had with his children.

"We had a sinking feeling you would get into trouble, _as usual_." Elrohir answered first, offering a wry huff when the elleth shot him a mild glare.

Elladan chimed in, "So we followed your example and snuck out of the compound, a few days ago."

"Valar…" Eäriel muttered as she rubbed her hand over her face; she didn't even want to imagine how much lip they would get from Elrond when they returned home.

"Thank you for your help." Thorin nodded to the twins, inwardly glad they had arrived when they had.

"Aye, it's rather nice to have elves around that don't want to kill us." Bofur agreed jovially.

"Won't your father miss you; I'm sure he knows by now that you two have disappeared." Bilbo chimed in as he finished wringing out his coat, looking at the twins.

"He sends us off on missions all the time," Elladan waved it off with a gesture.

Elrohir nodded to their sister, "We came to help our sister, even if she didn't ask for it." He smiled.

Eäriel's nostrils flared with a shallow exhale, looking helplessly to her king, "They won't be any trouble, I assure you." She would tie them up and feed them to the dragon if they did otherwise.

Thorin folded his arms at his chest; he didn't enjoy having more unannounced members in their party, elves especially, but if they wished to help them fulfill their quest… He exhaled slightly and met her gaze. "They are loyal to you, first and foremost, and saved your neck on the bridge… They can stay." He agreed.

The twins' faces lit up before they bobbed their heads in thanks.

The elleth didn't know whether to be joyous about their freedom or to wonder if she had just gotten in over her head yet again.

As things had been settled again, the Company was allowed a few moments respite before they were to continue, moreso to figure out just how they were going to get across the lake and partially because the majority of the party were tired from the rough ride downriver.

"We cannot risk going around the lake; gods know if there are more orcs in hiding and waiting for us should we be so foolish." Eäriel pondered with a grim edge to her voice as she looked to the river that led past their part of the bank as it would eventually deposit into the Anduin, a frown on her lovely face.

"But we're so close…" Bilbo lamented, looking between the elves and Thorin and Balin.

"It would be easier to obtain a barge of some sort." Elrohir commented, he and his twin having been enlisted in helping the others figure a way to get to the Mountain.

"It's not like there's a barge right infront of you, _muindor_. And it would take too long for us to try and fashion a boat big enough for everyone from the barrels…" Elladan remarked with a light jab at his brother, glancing over at the drenched containers that had been gathered up on the less-damp rocks of the shore.

"There are too many of us to try swimming across the lake in the bloody barrels." Thorin's low-timbre voice added to the conversation, a frown like the elleth's also on his brow.

" _Oi!_ " Nori barked then, causing the six to quickly look and see a man silhouetted by the rising sun's shadow loose an arrow from his long bow as he stood on the nearby incline in an attempt to hit little Ori.

With a flick of the wrist, her left dagger ripped through the air to collide with the flying arrow and break it in half, the blade landing among the rocks yards away.

"Care to try that again?" Eäriel drawled blandly as she, Elladan and Elrohir had their respective bows drawn with an arrow nocked, effectively leaving the man outnumbered.

 **|} x {|**

"Since when do elves defend a troop of dwarves?" The stranger demanded in a coarse voice, reluctantly lowering his bow and watching the trio of archers do the same as a sign they did not intend to kill him, stepping forward to show he was a man in his thirties with grayed black hair and brown eyes.

"Since they are our traveling companions." Elrohir answered first, finding he had seen this man's face somewhere before, but not with the same bearing this man held.

This left the bowman curious, for he couldn't recall the last time a company of dwarves had elves for allies. "And whereabouts are you traveling to?" He asked.

"To the Iron Hills in the north." Eäriel spoke up this time, watching the man descend the incline and she added with a gesture to her brothers, "my brothers and I are escorting them to their home there, per the Lord of Rivendell's request."

"Though we've run into a bit of a predicament, as we ran across some unsavory folk while traveling, and now most of our supplies are gone." Elladan added on.

Balin had spotted the barge the man used as it was docked a bit of a ways down the bank from them, and he piped up, "You're from Laketown, then! That barge wouldn't be available for service, would it…?" He put on a charming sort of expression.

The bowman frowned slightly in a measure of curiosity.

With the promise that he would be paid in full for helping them, the odd troop boarded the barge and were off towards Laketown.

"Cough it up."

"Come on, I won this from Elrohir on a bet a few decades ago…"

"Elladan."

"You've got money too, _muinthel_ …" Elladan sulked as he deposited what gold he had kept in his trouser pocket into her awaiting palm.

Eäriel smiled chirpily, a habit she had learned from the brothers, "How else do you think I'm paying for this? Besides, I know you keep money on your person like I do." It was going to a good cause in the end, so she didn't see how he could have room to complain.

"Is that all of it?" Balin asked of the elleth as she came over to him with the bit of gold from her brother in hand as well as the amount of gold she took from her own stash, calculating they would pay the bargeman handsomely with the elves' gold plus some of theirs as well, what remained of their gold anyway. The elves had taken most if not all of their belongings in Mirkwood, but not _everything_.

"Aye, enough to secure our passage to Laketown." Eäriel answered with a calm smile, handing over the gold to him to let him put it together into a leather pouch.

"And after that, then how will we get on to the Mountain?" Bilbo asked as he had lingered nearby to hopefully warm himself up; the barrel-ride downriver had left him slightly shivering, and as he wasn't as thick-skinned as the dwarves, you can imagine he was quite cold.

Eäriel pondered for a moment before feeling she was being stared at, and she glanced around to see most if not all of the troop was looking to her as if for an answer, and her ears reddened as she made a face. "Why are you lot looking at _me?_ I knew how to escape that place, yes, but I can't think of everything all at once." She said rather indignantly, giving a short huff as she then left their company to pay the bowman.

Fili smiled wryly at noting his uncle's gaze had never strayed from the indignant female, looking at the twins as they had shifted slightly to stand near where he and Kili sat by the barrels. "Was she always so…"

"Modest?"

"Defensive?"

Kili shared a look with Fili before replying, "Basically?"

" **You have no idea**." The twins replied in unison, not minding that their reply earned a few looks from some of the dwarves plus Bilbo.

"It is strange to see dwarves actually cooperating with elves." Bard the bargeman commented, having noted the elleth had been looking to her odd company near the front of the stern, earning a glance from the female.

Eäriel shrugged slightly, a smile tugging at her lips as she let her stare drift to the dwarf king now and then. "Dwarves and elves were once allies generations ago, however strained that relationship was, and it is only fair to reform the old alliances isn't it?" Replied the she-elf.

So she was not just a pretty face; he had always believed elves were not without a purpose in what they did or felt to do, so it was both interesting as well as peculiar for this elf to stand before him and speak of peace between races. "If I may be so bold, you are very odd for an elf." He said.

Her ears twitched and she looked at his brown stare before she chuckled slightly, shrugging again. "And you are too sharp to be a mere bargeman." Perhaps there were men like him, men that made the rest of their race not seem as lesser than elves, as she had always thought them to be.

A smile played at his bearded face before he caught a suspicious glare from the dark-haired dwarf that stood near the right edge of the barge and who had coincidentally been staring at the female, and he softly huffed before looking to said elleth, "Your friend does not like me." He could understand why the dwarf felt possessive towards the female, as she was as charming as she was beautiful, though he had no such intentions towards her; they had only met for the gods' sakes.

She didn't need to know which dwarf he referred to, and she smiled wryly, "He means well, he just doesn't warm up so well to strangers." Dwarves certainly were a passionate folk, and she would admit she was flattered that he thought of her as more than an ally, recalling the chaste kiss shared in the dungeons and this caused her smile to widen a degree.

" _Muinthel?_ " Elladan beckoned the elleth over, seeing her perk up slightly before she trodded to speak with them and gave a sheepish look to the bargeman before she approached the huddled group. "We think we've come up with an idea on how to get to the Mountain." He said, gesturing between he and his twin.

Eäriel sat down with Thorin on the edge of the barge and nodded, "Go on, what is it?" She asked, having a feeling they had brought the idea to the dwarves though wished to run it by her.

"We speak with the Master of the Lakemen; surely not all of the inhabitants of Esgaroth are going to be pleased with having thirteen dwarves, one hobbit, and three elves entering their town. He will grant us his blessing to leave to the Mountain with weapons and supplies… simple." Elrohir stated, seeing her brows lift almost into her hairline at the ingenuity towards the idea.

Thorin caught the pensive furrow of her brow, nearly watching her mull over what her brothers had come up with, and he pointed out, "We are getting closer to Durin's Day, give or take four days."

"You agree with them, then?" Eäriel asked, her words and eyes on the dwarf king. She had seen enough surprises for one journey, though finding that Thorin son of Thráin _actually agreed_ with an elf's plan was another surprise.

"It is the only rational idea I've heard, and if you trust them with your life, then it must be worth a try." The dwarf replied, some part of him not actually believing he had admitted that he trusted an idea concocted by elves of all creatures, but as both sets of blue eyes met he knew beyond that doubt that this might actually work.

It was partially mad, but it would work, hopefully.

The elleth's lips quirked up as her face softened at hearing him voice his trust in her and her siblings, and she reluctantly looked away from holding his stormy orbs to exhale and nod her head. "Let's pray he is a generous man." She agreed, looking at the twins.

"Told you she'd agree." Elrohir elbowed his twin.

Elladan smirked at seeing the pursed-lip expression on their sister's face, "Actually I believe it was Master Kili who said she'd agree with it." He nodded to the younger prince.

"All _four of you_ wagered on that?" Eäriel asked in a strangely quiet voice, making the four brothers stiffen slightly.

Bilbo rubbed a hand over his face as the elleth then proceeded to clock her brothers plus the princes, glancing away from the annoyed elleth and the scolded dwarves and elves to the dwarf king who sat to the side, amusement and a hint of fondness in his blue stare that had ceased to leave the female's willowy figure.

 **|} x {|**

Thorin was not too happy with things.

He and the others were cold and tired, he did not trust the world of men as easily as one would think given his previous jobs he had taken on in younger years, and then they were required to speak with the Master of Laketown if they wished to reach the Mountain before Durin's Day.

He didn't complain about the elves' idea, he trusted their elleth enough to trust that her brothers' idea was secure, but his pride did not agree with asking for help from men.

It had to be done, no matter how much his pride protested it so.

He watched the lone female exit the barge as they reached the second gate house, which resembled a shack on stilts more than anything in his opinion, with her brothers at her heels as a precaution.

"She knows what she is doing." Balin commented as he caught his friend ogling the elleth, smiling innocently when said dwarf king turned to him.

"Of course she knows what she's doing…" Thorin huffed, folding his arms at his chest and feeling his ears warm at being caught staring. "I trust her, just not the men." He added.

"She has sacrificed nearly everything to help us, Thorin, and I've seen the way you look at her… You needn't fret over our elf." The older dwarf reminded patiently, his smile remaining as he clapped a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder.

The younger dwarf grunted slightly in response and nodded, exhaling. "Aye." She did indeed do all those things, and he would admit he enjoyed watching her brighten like a star when they were together, and he recognized that he should not doubt her in any sense of the word…  
 _  
Mahal he was a goner_.

"Anything to declare, then, aside from the merry bunch you've got with you?" Percy, a man that looked older than their bargeman, asked said man as he nodded to the rest of the company.

"Nothing, save that I am cold, tired and ready for home!" Bard replied with a slight huff as he handed over the papers that were most likely for the barrels.

"You and me both," Percy agreed, looking to the trio of elves, "and what is your business with us?" He asked.

"We've come to speak with the Master of this town, and were fortunate to have come across Bard to ensure our arrival here." Eäriel answered politely, being deemed to be the spokesperson as she was reputed by her brothers to have a silver-tongue.

Percy nodded slightly, "I wish you the best of luck, then, milady." He then added as he began to give the papers back to Bard, "Raise the gate…!"

"Not so fast!" Came a second voice as another man strode forward from inside the shack to snatch the papers from Percy's grasp. "A raucous lot of trouble-makers entering our fine town? I don't think so! We don't let strangers into our town, not without the Master's knowledge of it." He said matter-of-factly.

The elleth's small smile faltered as she noted the second man was clad in black and pasty and greasy, and the eerie sense he gave off made her bristle in irritation that she kept well hidden, slightly straightening as his brown eyes lingered on her for a bit; she had never experienced immediate loathing save for certain cases, but this excuse of a human being fit into that category. "We mean no trouble or harm, my good man; we've simply come to ask your esteemed Master if he would but help us so that my friends and I may continue to our destination." She stated calmly, but the twins with her could tell she disliked this man just by looking at him.

It wasn't like they could disagree, because gods knew they wouldn't.

"I am sorry, milady, but the Master is a busy man! If your request is that dire, you can take it up with me and I will tell the Master of it… if it's an important enough issue, that is." The black-clad man insisted, once again looking her over from foot to head if for a moment.

Her brow gave the slightest twitch that both twins caught sight of as they stood on either side, before she schooled her face into a calm mask and nodded. "So you are saying that you're not the Master, then, are you?" She asked with a honeyed tone present in her suddenly-sweet voice, and at the man's confident bob of his head, she drawled in the same tone, "Then perhaps you could tell me what your name is, my good sir?" She took a subconscious step closer, seeing the man gulp slightly and his cheeks color at having her so close, batting her eyelashes.

"A-Alfrid Lickspittle, mum, Chief Advisor to the Master!" Said the black-clad man.

The twins shared a miniscule sideways glance between each other and knew from experience as well as body language that their beloved sister's patience was spent… For a moment they almost pitied Alfrid for being on the receiving end of what was to come.

"Then as you are _so important_ around here, I must have a private word with you, _dearest_ Alfrid." The honeyed words efficiently concealed the daggers that were present in her voice, and before Alfrid or the two guards with him that were meant as protection could fathom what happened, in a fluid and swift moment she had jammed a dagger into the former's lapel to pin him to the nearby shack wall. She didn't need to look back at the guards as her brothers had already restrained them as soon as she had acted, her piercing glare showing nothing but ice as she glowered into the pinned man's suddenly fearful brown stare. "Now then, I have a proposition for you. You tell your Master that we are in need of an audience with him, preferably within two days, as our issue is of the utmost importance… This is to be heard by his ears _alone_. And if you do this one tiny thing for me, then I _won't_ stick my other dagger in that _special place_ all men hold dear." She gave a quick smile before, as quickly as she had pinned him, she drew away to both let him crumple to the boards of the small dock as well as to turn and retreat to the barge.

Bard and Percy blinked a couple of times as the she-elf strode past them to the barge, having barked an order in elvish to the twins who had released the guards of their hold to follow her leave. "Raise the gate!" The latter man ordered as the former jogged after the trio to board the barge again, as the gears of the gate doors gave loud groans when they opened for the barge.

"You should've stuck him in the chest for how he was looking at you, _muinthel_." Elrohir muttered with a glance back at the gatehouse as they were leaving it behind the further the barge traveled on to the opened town.

Eäriel scoffed, "Negotiation requires the resilience to refrain from being so brash, _muindor_ …" She paused as she moved away from her brothers' company to look at them with a smirk on her lovely face, "but I would've done _worse_ than gut him where he stood." She winked before walking away.

Having overheard the conversation between the elves, the dwarf king felt a smirk play at his lips and he shook his head a smidge at their female's brashness; at this point he found that to be an endearing facet of hers.

"What's that for?" The she-elf in question wondered as she resumed her seat with him on the lip, looking to him with a raised brow and curiosity in her paler blue irises.

"To this day I wonder if I should not be as _mindful_ of your temper as others are." He rumbled with a teasing edge in his voice, meeting her gaze with bemusement.

She blinked once at his comment before she looked away to chuckle, a mischievous smirk playing at her lips as she met his gaze again, "Oh yes, you should be _very_ afraid, my dear king." She returned the jest, holding his gaze as it softened slowly the longer their stares held, before her cheeks warmed and she smiled softly as she dropped her stare to the scuffs on her boots.

The thought of stroking his cheek –even though his neatly-trimmed beard tickled the skin of her fingertips—flitted through her mind, only serving to redden the color in her cheeks and ears.

 **|} x {|**

"What all did you tell him?"

"It was nothing more than a polite conversation. His reaction to my words was his doing, not mine."

The bargeman shook his head at how simple and innocent her defense sounded, when the image of a defeated Alfrid remained in his mind, and he straightened from tying off one end of the barge's ropes to a post. "I suppose it is safe to assume not all elves are patient and collected." He commented.

The elleth snorted slightly in amusement, "Quite safe indeed…" She glanced at where the others were waiting and smiled gratefully as she finished tying the second rope to another post nearby. "We cannot thank you enough for housing us for the next two days, Bard." She added.

Bard nodded slightly, replying, "You have paid me enough for my help, but seeing Alfrid scared out of his wits is enough for more money to not be necessary… I should warn you before we go any further that my girls have a slight fascination with elves. It's likely they will never give you a moment's peace." He chuckled slightly at mention of his children, leading the way along the walkways to his home with the elves, hobbit and dwarves at his heels.

Eäriel raised a brow and chuckled as well, "What are their names?" Adults she had little to no patience with, but she always had a soft spot for children; it was one of the reasons she enjoyed the Shire in the past.

"My eldest is Sigrid, my middle child is Bain, and my youngest is Tilda." He smiled thoughtfully.

"They sound wonderful," the elleth mused aloud before asking, "And your wife? Surely she must be beautiful." She tilted her head slightly.

Bard's smile faltered at mention of his late wife and nodded, "Aye, she was." He looked behind them to the twins that were walking near the two princes, and looked at the elleth as he asked, "And those two? They call you their sister and look on you as if you are older."

"Well a few centuries older is little more than months to elves, but it seems the three of us are the same age when we are not making appearances. We don't share the same mother, but we love each other as if we did." Eäriel nodded in return, her face softening as she noted that the odd quartet were speaking amongst each other about something or another, and she smiled at them.

Bilbo all-but gaped at the way the people moved about in their daily lives, as he had rarely seen the Big People until now where he had gotten a full-frontal experience of being among them, and he asked at large, "What is this place?"

"This, Master Baggins, is the world of Men." Thorin answered from his place next to the halfling, still not enjoying that he was once again among the taller folk, as he kept behind the elleth's heels.

"I don't think I've ever visited Esgaroth in the past…" Eäriel muttered, stiffening when a man called ' _halt!_ ' to them from several walkways away, being halted by the dwarf's reflexive grab for her forearm as they simultaneously froze at being spotted.

"Come on," Thorin declared as he and the shorter members of the troop scrambled to hide.

"Follow Thorin," Eäriel nodded to her brothers as they looked momentarily torn between facing the guards and hiding, and she urged they follow the dwarves as she led the way after her friends. She urged they split up as the twins went behind one housing unit as another guard had cut off the alley she nearly darted into, watching with slight surprise and the sudden urge to laugh as Bombur and Ori knocked over one guard from pursuing them, before a slight yelp came from her as a familiar hand grabbed the leather of her vest from behind and pulled her to hide behind a tall stack of crates.

Thorin caught the surprised look on her face and shushed her as they heard the guards coming, having made sure everyone else had scattered into hiding before the men showed up, having dropped onto all fours to hide behind a large crate on the bottom of the stack.

"Stay where you are, nobody leaves!" The main guard commanded the villagers who had gathered in the marketplace; the lone elleth poked her head out from behind her hiding place to briefly note the ginger-haired guard as he had been one of the two that had accompanied Alfrid… Her lip curled before she ducked her head back into hiding. "You; what're you up to, Bard?" He had rounded on the bargeman.

"Me? Nothing! I'm not up to anything." Bard's shrug was evident even if she did not see it.

Eäriel inhaled as the guard's armor clinked louder than she would have liked, signaling he was approaching them, and she lowered a hand to her sword's hilt in preparation; it seemed so simple, actually, to fight off the guards and give her friends a chance to bolt for Bard's house…

"Braga," Bard said then, causing her to halt in place, and he added, "Your wife would look lovely in this." The elleth and dwarf simultaneously poked their heads out for a second to note the washed out once-pure-white corset, the former valiantly willing a snort of derision to go away.

"What would _you_ know of my wife?" Braga snapped suspiciously, taking a step closer to the bargeman.

Bard once again shrugged, "I'd know her as well as any man in town."

A clomping of boots sounded as the guards then left the marketplace, before the bargeman said to those with him, "You can come out now."

The twins emerged first from hiding behind two tall stacks of crates, their sister emerging shortly afterward as she helped the dwarf king to his feet from having been on his hands and knees. Both elves looked at the female's odd hiding place with the dwarf with a curious lift of their brows, to which her ears reddened and she growled at them to shut it or else, pretending her companion wasn't looking between the trio with a puzzled furrow of his brow. "That was interesting." Said Eäriel as she cleared her throat and nodded to their host in thanks.

"The men of Gondor aren't as fun." Elladan chuckled, following Bard as they continued and the rest of the dwarves plus halfling shortly followed their leave.

"Nonsense, the only fun one is Ecthelian!" Elrohir huffed.

Eäriel smiled fondly at her brothers, looking at their host as they wound through another walkway, "I imagine that was Alfrid's attempt to get back at us for the gatehouse." She mused.

"Aye, it wouldn't surprise me. Alfrid's always been one to get the last word." Bard scoffed humorlessly in return to the female's assumption.

Thorin looked up at said female, "Dare I ask _why?_ " If anyone, he knew she could be intimidating when her patience was spent, and even frightening in certain cases.

"Only pleasantries were exchanged, I assure you," Eäriel smiled sweetly at him, but the dwarf knew her better than that.

He could smell the truth from a mile away.

The twins shared a smirk at their sister's outright lie. "Surely you know our sister is not just sunshine and wildflowers, Master Oakenshield." Elladan offered calmly.

Of course she wasn't; she was iron, and fire and starlight rolled into one perfect being.

Thorin could only snort in bemusement.

* * *

 _ **an** : okay so originally this was going to be one whole chapter rolled into one, but the laketown scene(s) are meant to be in two chapters, so the next installment will be coming up hopefully before Christmas. elsewise, i just wanted to give a s/o to **starrienight** , **FaeryMage** and **Nevrane** (along with anyone i may have forgotten) for brightening my inbox with FFN notifications, i can't thank you enough guys! :)) until next update, later! _


	13. This Lonely Little Town, PtII

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* * *

" _Come back with me, and the king will forgive you_."

" _But I will not forgive myself for letting this happen!"_ Green held fast to blue before she turned her gaze away and on to where the river led past their borders, and she continued, "The king would never let orc filth cross our lands and attempt to kill our prisoners."

He could think of one prisoner in particular that she referred to, and he remarked, "It is not our fight."

"Isn't it, though? With every victory this evil will grow, and if your father has his way, we will hide behind our walls out of the light… Are we not part of this world? And for that matter, I doubt you would wish to lose any hint of our friend because of your father's commands as I certainly don't." They were sisters regardless of the paths they had taken, and she would be damned before she would let go of her.

"You would choose the same fate." Separation, condemnation, scorn… all for dwarves? He could not yet see past that, though later on he would.

She huffed softly and looked at him again, "She may love that dwarf, but she is still kin to us, to me." She arched a brow in silent questioning of if he would continue with her to safeguard the orc party would pay for what they had done or if she had to continue on her own.

Legolas lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, giving a slight sigh as he lowered his hand. "You both are going to get us killed one day." He said in reluctant agreement to her mad plan.

"You worry enough for all three of us." Tauriel smirked and reached to gently pat his shoulder.

 **|} x {|**

Bilbo took a sip of the tea he had been given by Bard's youngest, Tilda he had heard mentioned earlier, his gaze wandering from the dwarves that were scattered about the bargeman's large front room plus the elven twins that were still talking with the princes near one window until his brown eyes fell on their leader who was staring out of a window on the other side of the room and seemed to be lost in his thoughts. The hobbit frowned slightly in curiosity before looking at the lone female as she also accepted a warm mug of tea from Sigrid and thanked her with a smile, trodding over to where the dwarf king stood, and he was once again reminded that she had more often than not remained near the dwarf, though he knew they were closer now than they were when both dwarf and elf arrived on his doorstep months ago. He smiled wryly at the thought, raising a brow as the elleth looked to where the king looked and she too became lost in thought; curiosity getting the best of him, he trodded over to the odd couple.

"A dwarvish wind-lance…" Thorin had murmured when she came to his side to ask what it was he was so focused on, and as he looked to the elleth at his side he could see a tenseness appear in her jaw as her gaze lingered longer on the aged weapon.

"You both look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo commented as he approached the couple, earning a glance from the dwarf whereas the elleth closed her eyes momentarily to take a generous sip of tea from her mug.

"They technically have." Balin said as he also trodded over to the trio, receiving a curious look from the shortest of the group. "The last time we laid eyes on a weapon of that make, a city was on fire." A sad tone entered his voice.

Eäriel nodded, "Aye, it was when Smaug attacked Dale. The Lord of the city, Girion, rallied his bowmen to launch an assault on the drake… but their scales are tough, tougher than any armor crafted, and only a Black Arrow fired from a wind-lance could've pierced the beast's hide." There was a taste of bitterness in her normally-collected tone, and she nodded slightly to Balin as she took another sip of her tea.

"Only a few arrows were ever crafted," the wise dwarf continued for the elleth, "and his store was running very low when Girion made his last stand."

"Had the aim of men been true that day, much would be different." Rumbled Thorin with a slight shake of his head as a graveness entered his voice. He glanced up at the lone female as she placed a hand on his shoulder in some measure of sympathy, lowering his gaze as she looked to him with a measure of concern.

"You speak as if you were there." Bard noted aloud as he came towards the odd quartet, looking to the dwarf wearing a borrowed red tunic.

Thorin huffed dryly, "All dwarves know the tale." He glanced up at the elleth as she removed her hand from its place on his shoulder.

"My former king would not lift a finger to aid those who died that horrible day, otherwise things would be very different today than the day that drake took the Mountain for his own. Because of his cowardice we now look on a once-grand kingdom with remorse and grief." Eäriel chimed in, her calm tone she normally used now gone to be replaced with a hardened edge not steered towards their host but to the mentioned king, and she momentarily met the bargeman's brown stare before averting her paler blue eyes away and down to the mug of tea she sipped from.

Bain, the middle child and only son of their host, declared as he came to stand with his father, "then you would know that Girion hit the dragon, loosened a scale under the left wing." He received a curious glance from the female and her brothers as they were also listening in from their place with the princes.

"That's nothin' but a story, lad," Dwalin chuckled slightly behind the odd group.

Eäriel looked at the tattooed dwarf with a smirk hedging her lips before she caught the grey gaze of Elladan as he and Elrohir had broken away from Fili and Kili to speak in private, and she raised a brow before being beckoned over to her brothers; she politely excused herself from the five's company to approach her siblings as they lingered near the opposite window. " _Yes, what is it?_ " She asked softly, speaking in their tongue as none in the house could understand a word of Sindarin… She hoped, anyway.

" _I thought Bard looked familiar when we first met on the riverbank, but now it is clear where I have seen him before_." Elrohir replied, having folded his arms at his chest and giving a miniscule nod behind her at their host.

" _It is Girion… He must be his descendant; I do not know why I did not see it before_." Elladan added in as he leaned his hip against the wall.

" _That would explain things… But then that would mean he should have a right to be the Master of this town, wouldn't it?_ " Eäriel pondered as she frowned at the facts of the matter, glancing away from her siblings to the window through where they had seen the wind-lance.

" _How did another man stake a claim on the title of Master, you mean._ " Elladan elaborated, earning a slight nod from the female. He and Elrohir shared a look as they came to the same conclusion.  
 _  
This truly was an interesting twist of fate_.

 **|} x {|**

Bard was Girion's descendant… from how old he appeared, she would wager he was his great-grandson, give or take a generation.

Eäriel frowned softly at the thought of this newest revelation, knowing without a doubt that she wouldn't tell Thorin of it, as it wasn't her secret to tell in the first place.

Bard would have to tell him in his own time…

"Erm, Eäriel?" The small voice of their halfling declared behind her, sounding a bit stressed, as he was helping carry the things they'd bought at the market.

The elleth looked over her shoulder at her shopping companion and she coughed slightly to avoid voicing an amused chuckle, turning to the hobbit who had been saddled with carrying enough bags that they threateningly tipped over his head from one side to another as he had kept at her heels. "Sorry 'bout that, here I'll take these ones…" She doubled back to help with the bags, lifting the heavier bags from his sore arms and shouldering them, allowing him to see where he was going.

Bilbo gave a nod of thanks to her, letting her continue to lead the way back. Within the last day or so they had exhausted a bit of Bard's pantry, and at her insistence to repay him by restocking his pantry, he had decided to accompany the elleth to run said errand; he partially went because she hadn't seemed to want to ask any of the others to accompany her for obvious reasons, and partially because he wanted to do a bit of exploring about Laketown. He had noticed she remained quiet since the odd discussion she had had with the twins, and as she had avoided speaking with the dwarves of whatever the conversation had been about, he decided that he would ask her on his own. "Are you all right, Eäriel? You've been a bit quiet for the last few hours." He asked.

"Perfectly fine, actually, I've just been thinking that it seems we've yet to have a meet with the Master and Durin's Day is only a few days away…" Eäriel answered calmly, inwardly disliking that she had to lie to her one friend that wasn't a dwarf or elf, slightly frowning as she met her friend's stare.

"It seems that man you spoke with didn't fall through with his end of the bargain." Like he expected him to; even Bard had been doubtful of the conversation between elf and man, but knowing their elleth, she would do something about it. "Are you sure we shouldn't go demand an audience or something like that, soon?" Bilbo slightly shook his head, looking up at the elleth.

Eäriel paused as they had reached said bargeman's house and she glanced up at the steps that wrapped around the tall home, her nostrils flaring with a slight exhale. "Dunno, but we must meet with the Master, at least before tomorrow." She furrowed her brow before ascending the steps.

 **|} x {|**

"…Am sure my sister will think that isn't the greatest way to garner the Master's attention, Master Oakenshield." Elrohir finished saying just as the two misfits entered the house's front room, his tone rather exasperated, before those in the room hushed as fifteen sets of eyes fell on the odd duo.

Bilbo blinked a couple of times and raised a brow in confusion as they were suddenly the focus of the room, his ears reddening slightly and he chose to be the brave one and ask, "Erm, did we miss anything?"

"By all means, kindly tell Master Oakenshield that performing so needlessly isn't the way for us to continue our journey, _muinthel!_ " Elladan spoke up as he looked to the she-elf who had slipped away momentarily to hand off their purchases to the girls who put the items up in the kitchen.  
 _  
I step away for a few hours and they're already at each other's throats_ … Eäriel folded her arms at her chest and mirrored the halfling in raising a brow. "What happened?" Somehow or another she knew Thorin was responsible for ruffling her brothers' feathers, and it wasn't like her brothers were the placid type when a debate was afoot… She once again wondered if she hadn't gotten in over her head with allowing the twins to stay with the Company.

"Durin's Day is less than three days away, and we've yet to meet with the so-called Master." Fili supplied as he lowered a hand from having pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

Kili chimed in, "Elladan and Elrohir suggested we wait until Bard returns from work to see the Master."

"Thorin." Eäriel breathed his name between fighting off an exasperated huff, looking to her king. "What is your decision?" Normally she believed he would agree with the twins, but desperation was evident in the air of the troop, and she understood his rashness.

"We aren't sure what hour the bargeman will return, and we are still lacking in weapons, so it would only be wise for us to take weapons from the town armory within the hour and head for the Mountain from there." Thorin answered with a slight sigh, glad to see she did not automatically side with her siblings on this matter and rather decided to listen to both sides, meeting her eyes and seeing a hint of understanding show in her paler irises.

"And we're all in agreement with this." Eäriel looked to the rest of the dwarves, unsurprised to receive several nods as twelve sets of eyes rested on their leader, and she looked at her friend. "Bilbo?" Her tone softened a degree towards her fellow misfit.

Bilbo was momentarily torn as he glanced between the twins that were clearly outnumbered to the troop who looked to him as if wondering if he would also agree to Thorin's idea, and he looked up at the elleth as she glanced out the window at the cold day that was quickly dying to soon let night settle in, before he sighed slightly. "If it gets us to the Mountain faster." He agreed with a bob of his head.

Eäriel smiled slightly and clapped a hand on his shoulder, looking lastly to her siblings, "You didn't sign up for this, either of you… If you wish to stay and wait for Bard, I will not stop you. I made a promise to my friends, so therefore I can't abandon them now…" She started to say with a weary exhale.

"Even if we do this irrationally, we're still going with you, Eäriel." Elladan cut her off, watching surprise briefly brighten her eyes.

Elrohir nodded slightly to the dwarf king, "We cannot thank you enough for ensuring our sister's life thus far, Master Oakenshield, but we are first and foremost her brothers. We would follow her even into the very depths of Mordor… or off to face a live dragon." He smiled wryly.

As surprised as the she-elf towards the twins' bravado, he also admired their unwavering loyalty to her as if she really was their blood-sister, and his stormy irises softened a degree towards them. "So be it! Come, if we are to reach the door before Durin's Day we must be quick." Thorin nodded in understanding.

 **|} x {|**

It was only minutes later that the odd troop left the bargeman's home, the elleth having lingered at the tail to say goodbye to the three children and request they tell their father that his kindness would never be forgotten before she had caught up to her companions, keeping near the tail to safeguard their discretion.

It wasn't very difficult for them to find the armory, in all actuality, as it was one of the taller buildings that was closer to the center of town and the moonlit walkways that served as a back entrance to the building proved to come in handy.

"Elladan will go first," Eäriel urged once they found a second-floor window that looked open and served to help their thievery, nodding to her brothers in the middle of the troop, as the dwarves had quickly formed a staircase minutes ago and stacked themselves ontop of the other. She received a quick nod from Thorin as said ellon darted up the staircase with ease and Elladan was first to undo the latch on the window as quietly as possible with a knife, before slipping inside and he was out of sight for a moment before poking his head out and giving the ' _okay_ ', to which Thorin urged Bilbo shortly follow the elf and his nephews afterward.

"Go." Thorin nodded to their she-elf as their eyes momentarily met, catching the brightened light in her pale blue irises caused by the excitement and taste of hope shared with everyone else, and his bearded face gave a twitch of a smile as he watched her nod and ascend the staircase with sure and light feet. He watched her enter the armory with little trouble before motioning Bofur to follow, and he shortly followed the hat-wearing dwarf up the staircase into the darkened room.

"We might only need swords and axes…" Fili mused aloud as he and Bilbo were lifting up a set of broadswords from their place resting against a wall, handing them to the awaiting arms of Kili.

"We'll take what we can," Thorin replied over his shoulder as he held up two axes and took a heavy hammer from Bilbo to hand off to his nephew's slowly-filling arms.

Eäriel raised a brow and asked, "Can you carry all of those, Kili?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, let's just get out…" Kili gave a quick bob of the head to the concerned elf before turning to descend the small winding stairwell that led to the first floor of the building, and as he didn't have much room to see where to place his foot, his right boot toe caught on a worn step and caused him to stumble with a yelp of surprise.

Both Elladan and Eäriel flinched as the weapons clattered to the floorboards and the noise seemed to resound like a foreboding clap of thunder around them, as those in the room simultaneously held their breath in the aftermath.

Stealth wasn't on their side tonight.

" _Run!_ " Dori's voice sounded from outside, to which those in the room wasted no time in arming themselves as it seemed only a split second passed when they were then surrounded by the town guards.

Eäriel's piercing gaze flickered to the dark-haired prince who was pinned against the wall by one guard's spear and she glowered up at the guard that threateningly aimed his sword at her throat, stiffening slightly as the leader of the guards was the same ginger-haired man she had seen in the market the other day, watching his brown eyes land on her as he recognized her lovely face.

"You!" Braga growled as he turned his sight onto the female, gesturing another of his men take his spot in threatening the dwarf king that he had cornered as he turned to her with scorn. "Not so confident, are you, _elves?_ " He glared from her to the brunette ellon at her side who had drawn a dagger from his quiver to train the blade on his guard.

"I had a feeling we would cross paths again, just didn't think it would be so soon." Eäriel was strangely calm as she held his heated stare with the slightest furrow in her brow, her tone hardening as she added, "Since we've run into each other so nicely, it only seems fair that we have that audience with the Master… You will escort us, out of the kindness of your heart." She quirked a brow, silently challenging him even as there was a threat in her icy gaze that she would do worse to him than what she had threatened Alfrid with.

Braga considered her words, as well as the silent threat screaming in her cold blue eyes, before he silently agreed. "Release them." He ordered his men who reluctantly obeyed, glowering still at the confident she-elf and clipped out, "They are guests in our fine town, who have awaited a meeting with the Master… This way." He gestured to the stairwell for them to exit the armory.

Eäriel held his glowering stare with a sweet smile on her lips; once the troop was united and congregated infront of the armory, and she led the way after the guards to the center of town.

Lights slowly began to spring to life the further they walked, an evident sign the rest of the town was awake and had come to see what the commotion was about, until the odd troop were halted before a large and grandiose house in the center of town and stood in a half-moon formation around Braga with the she-elf shortly behind him.

A fresh snowfall had begun once everyone was situated, the first snowfall of winter if she were to be exact, the flakes softly cascading down onto the sleepy little town as it was only moments later that the front doors were opened for the odd troop plus the onlookers to watch the Master step out onto the small stairwell of the front of the house.

Eäriel swallowed a growl of disgust as she looked on a tall and beady-eyed redhead man dressed in a luxurious fur coat; she could swear he was somehow related to the late Great Goblin… She caught the black-clad Alfrid skulking out after the tall man into the night, and as his dark eyes fell on the troop before landing on her, she smirked coldly at seeing his dark eyes nearly bulge with a sense of dread at finding she was still around.

Yes, she knew he hadn't said a word to the Master… And yes, she would take pleasure in scaring him further.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Master demanded at large, pulling her attention back to their current situation.

"Caught them stealing weapons, sire!" Braga answered promptly, shooting a glare at the she-elf as she strode forward to be on par with him.

"Before you write us off as criminals, I must inform you that we only acted out because our plight is dire, and we have not been able to get an audience with the esteemed Master of Laketown." Eäriel defended collectedly, nodding past him at the still-shaken Alfrid and adding with a tilt of her head, "And it appears dear Alfrid hasn't said a word of our presence here to you, now has he?" She smiled serenely.

"Lies, that's what she's spoutin', sire! _Complete lies!_ " Alfrid quickly defended himself, pointing a finger at the calm female as he added sharply, "I've never seen that lot of thieving liars before in my life!"

Dwalin growled out, "Hold your tongue! You don't know to whom you speak, boy." He earned a raised brow from the trio of elves as he strode forward before gesturing to the dark-haired king standing just behind their elleth with Bilbo and Balin, "This is no thieving criminal; this is _Thorin!_ Son of _Thráin_ , _son of Thrór!_ " Proclaimed the tattooed warrior as said king stepped forward alongside both the elleth and his old friend.

"We are the dwarves of Erebor, and we've come to reclaim our homeland." Thorin rumbled as a wave of awed murmurs echoed across the villagers surrounding them.

The Master cast a quick and nervous look around, at a loss on how to respond towards the news, as he feared he would meet an unfortunate end with the insulted dwarves… Eäriel knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would've already been dead if he had treated her kin in the same way.

"… In the great days of old: fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems; this was no forsaken town on a lake… this was the center of all trade in the North!" Thorin was saying, pulling her from her observations, and he glanced over at her for a miniscule second to see the confidence still present in her eyes; she believed in him, he recalled, she had always believed in him… A smile began to brighten his blue eyes before he addressed the town, "I would see those days returned; I would relight the great forges of the dwarves, and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!" He said with a grand gesture of his arms.

The gathered townsfolk gave a cheer at the dream of living much better off than how they lived now; the twins briefly shared a look as they both had a sinking feeling; the elleth was not looking to her brothers but between Thorin and the Master, the lattermost sporting an odd glitter in his dark eyes, a glitter that she didn't entirely like.

" _Death!_ " Cried a voice from the back of the crowd, causing all eyes to watch as the bargeman made his way forward to the front, and his brown eyes landed and fixated on the dwarf king, " _That_ is what you will bring to us; _dragonfire_ and _ruin!_ If you awaken that drake, you'll destroy us all." Bard stated darkly, receiving a sharp look from the twins whereas their sister's jaw clenched, and the elleth shuffled a smidge to better defend her king.

Thorin glared slightly at the bargeman yet continued as he still had the attention of all, "You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise this; if we succeed, _all_ will share in the wealth of the Mountain… You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth _tenfold!"_ He gestured grandly again as the villagers erupted into a loud and nearly-deafening cheer at his promise.

"Why should we heed your word?" Alfrid demanded then, distilling the cheer and causing the villagers to quiet down, "We don't know nothin' about you… who here can vouch for _your_ character?"

The dwarves looked from the people to their king with concern; the elves shared a look, and the elleth made to open her mouth to speak when a familiar small voice spoke up instead, causing the trio of elves to look at him in surprise.

"I will!" Bilbo Baggins lifted a hand, quelling the murmurings with his words; he looked to the Master, "I'll vouch for him. I've traveled far with these dwarves through great perils, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word, then he'll keep it." He said clearly as said dwarf king's hardened face softened in pleasant surprise and relief.

"As will we." Eäriel agreed firmly, not missing the smile beginning to form on her king's face; she smiled fondly as her eyes met his for a moment before she addressed the Master with confidence in her voice. "I am Eäriel and these are Elladan and Elrohir, children of the Lord of Rivendell. I can proudly say that I've fought alongside these dwarves, and found them to be the greatest of friends one could ever hope for…" Her smile remained and gained a bit of strength as she gestured to her king, continuing, "If this noble king gives his word to aid someone, then he _will_ do it! By the Valar's might, I speak on behalf of my family as I vouch for Thorin son of Thráin."

Thorin couldn't fight the smile from his bearded face and he had half a right mind to kiss her right then and there…

"All of you, listen to me; _you must listen!_ " Bard declared again, causing the murmurs to fall silent even as they had begun again, "have you forgotten about what happened to _Dale_ , about _those who died_ in the _firestorm!_ " Several protests arose at his words, and he turned again to the dwarf king, "And for what? The _blind ambition_ of a Mountain King so _riddled with greed_ that he couldn't see past his own desire!"

"Girion!" Eäriel's normally-calm voice snapped the name with a touch of bitterness in her sharpened voice, seeing Thorin look at her as Bard's jaw clenched yet his gaze didn't waver from the dwarf, and she continued, "Girion failed in destroying Smaug, in trying to avenge Erebor and Dale as they were turned to ash … _Girion, your forefather_ , Bard." She held his hardened brown eyes that lifted at last to look on her, a measure of hurt showing in her own stare even though she received fourteen shocked expressions from her friends, at last breaking stares with the bargeman to let her eyes fall on her king whose thick brows had nearly risen into his hairline and her hardened stare sobered with an apology as both sets of blue stares held.

"You are quite right indeed, my lady!" The Master declared as he caused their stares to break so the elleth spared him a brief look before she folded her arms at her chest. "It was indeed the fault on the Lord of Dale's behalf that the beast wasn't slain!" He said as he looked to the villagers again.

Alfrid piped up, "It's true indeed, for we all know the story; arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing it's mark!"

Murmurs arose among the people as they agreed with what was said; Bard stepped closer to the dwarf king, stating firmly, "You have _no right_ … _no right_ , to enter that mountain!"

Thorin held his cold glare with a likewise expression as he leaned in and returned with finality, "I have the _only_ right." He received a fond look from the elleth as her chest ached for a moment, before he turned to the Master. "I speak to the Master of the Men of the Lake; will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you _share_ in the great wealth of our people?" He asked carefully.

The Master fell silent as he looked between the odd troop to Bard to the townsfolk, and the odd troop seemed to hold their breath as their leader asked again if he would consider their proposal, before his beady brown eyes settled on the dwarf king. "I say unto you… Welcome! Welcome and _thrice welcome_ , King Under the Mountain!" He said loudly, causing the people to excitedly applaud.

The twins gave a simultaneous exhale of relief; the dwarf king turned to the Company with a victorious light brightening his blue eyes; the elleth grinned in relief and excitement, looking to her king as pride filled her pale blue irises that held to his equally-relieved and victorious gaze, having a sudden urge to kiss him even though she wondered if he would accept it or not.

 **|} x {|**

Eäriel grumbled.

Twice in one year she was required to wear a dress, and twice she loathed it… A slight sigh passed her lips as she finished with having put her hair back, looking on her reflection once again in the full-length mirror of the room.

After the bargain had been struck, the Master had insisted their odd troop be welcomed by the townsfolk via a grandiose feast in the Master's home, and had insisted they stay in the town's local inn until they were to depart within two days.

Two days… Two days and she already wished to put Esgaroth behind her!

A knock sounded on her door, and she let an exasperated exhale pass her flared nostrils as she replied over her shoulder, "It's open!"

Having steeled himself from hesitating too long, Thorin gave a short exhale and opened the door, "Eäriel…" His voice left him then as he looked on the elleth with a measure of awe.

Eäriel had been lent a dress that resembled the one she had worn in Rivendell, save that it was a medium shade of teal as the dress's sleeves were cinched at the elbow before flaring down until the bottom hem covered the tops of her hands, the dress overall fitting her willowy form perfectly… Her mane of hair was drawn back from her lovely face so her pointed ears were proudly shown as parts of her brown locks were braided back and that traveled down to the very edges of her long hair, almost giving off a dwarvish sense to how it had been tamed.

And once again Thorin was left to wonder how it was that she so easily charmed him into seeing her as an ethereal and beautiful woman…

"Yes, what is it…?" Eäriel trailed off as she noted he had been lent a matching coat and tunic the same deep shade of navy blue, and a pair of black trousers that were tucked into his cleaned boots, her gaze briefly noting his dark mane of hair had been combed back to frame his rugged face in that way that made her heart do that odd flip-flop. She cleared her throat and smiled humbly at being stared at, "Did you wish to ask me something?" She asked.

Thorin once again steeled himself from hesitation as he forced his eyes away from her visage, noting briefly that her room was as grand as his was if not more comfortable, and he replied, "Yes, actually, I wished to ask if you… if you would like for me to escort you, to the feast?" Mahal when did he begin to sound so shy; this was Eäriel, she didn't expect him to ask for her hand the second he got a moment alone with her! He didn't think she did… some small part of him hoped not.

"I would enjoy that a great deal, my dear king." Eäriel chuckled softly as she sensed the hesitation in him that he believed he had kept at bay, flattered by the gentlemanly gesture he extended to her, her stare that had brightened at seeing him softened as she looked on him.

His face lit up before he nodded a bit in response, gesturing to the door with a hand. "Milady."

She smiled warmly and followed him out of the room, accepting his arm once the door was closed and feeling his other hand cover hers that grasped the underside of his right bicep, causing her ears and cheeks to redden a bit.

It seemed the twins were first to take note of the odd couple as they met with them in the spacious front room of the inn, the troop plus twin elves dressed in as fine of clothes as the dwarf king, first noting the dwarf king who looked on their elleth with fondness in his brightened rugged face and then secondly noting said female as she looked just as happy as her companion. This made the twins believe she truly could be happy even if she didn't live among their people, as they hadn't seen her look so happy and whole as she did on the arm of Thorin.

Thorin's fondness faltered a smidge as both he and Eäriel acknowledged they were the center of attention, and while he took pride in his elleth who was slightly blushing and giving a look to her siblings who smirked between each other at her flustered state, he knew they were expected at the feast. "Shall we be off?" He asked the odd troop, sensing the elleth exhale beside him as the others snapped to and took their attention off the couple.

Shortly after the Company left the warmth of the inn to exit into the nippy air of a presumably-cold winter, donning thick cloaks provided by the inn to keep warm as they were escorted to the Master's house.

Eäriel looked about the inside of the Master's home with a mild sense of awe, from the lights that made the walls look cozy to the long tables littered with copious amounts of food of all sorts and to the majority of the townsfolk who were present and already seated, and she still felt a sense of wishing for nothing more than to leave this place… She had only felt this sense of discomfort once and that had been in the Woodland Realm one year of _Melith-nuin-Giliath_ , where not so polite barbs were traded between she and her former king and she had been urged to back down by his son's quiet pleas, and she had left back to her quarters with a huff.

She did not care if the dragon was alive or not, for that moment, for she wanted nothing more than to run to the Mountain… She hated this place.

"Welcome, Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain!" Said the Master as his greeting to their leader yanked her from her thoughts, standing from his seat at the back of the large room with a long table before him that had enough seats for the Company members.

Thorin said prior to giving a slight bow of thanks, "We thank you, Master of Laketown, for showing us such kindness when noone would." Eäriel gave a slight curtsy at his side but her eyes held fast to the Master as she began to see how slippery he truly was even in the amber light of the candles around them, and her lips faintly quirked in an attempt to curl back in disgust, before she schooled her face into a polite mask she had mastered many years ago.

She hated this place, and she hated _him_ on sight.

Eäriel's dislike for the path their fate had taken them down slowly receded to allow content to slip into the fore, as she watched and partook in eating with her friends and siblings, and she smiled as the dwarves had their fill of ale. She raised a brow briefly when, as the night was drawing later, the Master called for the tables in the middle of the room to be moved so the dance floor was open; she looked on as the dwarves began to make their way to the dance floor and dance with whichever village girl sought to dance with said dwarf. She politely refused when at least five men came to their table to ask for a dance with her, and she protested when Elladan and Elrohir offered to drag her to a dance only to send them off to dance with a girl or two that looked positively smitten with their elven elegance. She only shook her head at seeing her brothers actually seeming to enjoy themselves in the company of mortals, smiling fondly as she watched Fili dance with a petite brunette girl and Kili dance with a willowy blonde girl, noting they looked happy.

She briefly wondered if this happiness would last longer, if for their sakes…

"Care for a dance?"

She began to decline once again only to meet the stormy irises of the dwarf at her side, closing her mouth to let her lips spread into a fond smile at being asked by him instead of another man, and she replied as she let him take her hand in his, "I thought you would never ask."

Together the odd couple wove around the dancing couples around them until they reached the center of the floor; the dwarf bowed slightly first and the elleth shortly followed his example before the former pulled the latter close as they began to dance.

The infectious merriment of the evening even affected her, Thorin noticed, as she moved in time with him and smiled before letting a small laugh escape her as he let her break away save one hand he kept in his grasp; he drew her towards him again, watching her twirl and was reminded of the fluidity in her body when neck-deep in battle and he found a laugh of his own escaping him before she drew close as the song that was being played began to wind down to the last few moments, lifting his blue stare to meet hers as both grinned rather giddily from the dancing. His eyes searched hers for a long moment that may as well have been minutes as he lifted his right hand from its place at her waist to trace his thumb along her cheekbone, feeling her shiver a smidge at his touch, before she smiled wider in warmth extended to him alone.

"Thorin…" Eäriel began to say when the song finally ended and applause began to ripple from the onlookers around them, and she drew her head up from having subconsciously inclined it down to meet his own head, her cheeks coloring with a sense of modesty as she recognized they were the ones being applauded from all sides.

Thorin looked around at their audience as his ears reddened and subconsciously he disliked the fact that their almost-kiss had been ruined so soon, clearing his throat and looking to his dancing partner as they drew away, leaving a kiss on her hand and catching the soft smile in her eyes as she met his stare for that moment.

Both dwarf and elf retreated to their table after giving a slight bow to the onlookers as another song began, and the elleth looked to her companion with a fond smile before saying she would retire to the inn as she wished to leave the noise of the room; she declined his invitation for escort and instead took her cloak with her and slipped out of the house via one of the side doors, bidding him goodnight as she went.

Eäriel felt as if her skin was tingly even though she had only touched his hands, lifting a slender hand to touch her cheek where his thumb had stroked the skin and she shivered despite the cold at recalling just how close they had come to kissing…  
 _  
Valar she was doomed!_

 **|} x {|**

Eäriel was not in her room the next morning.

More often than naught he was an early riser, even when they had briefly stayed in Rivendell he had risen around daybreak, and as he walked about the inn he found no sign of their she-elf. She wouldn't leave without them, without _him_ , and certainly not in this sleepy town.

Thorin stepped out of the inn with the borrowed cloak on his shoulders as he briefly thought of where to look for their elleth; he doubted she had gone to visit the bargeman as she had been disappointed with said man for not telling them of his lineage and he would admit she looked rather guilty for taking the man's hospitality for granted, and he honestly doubted she would be in the market –especially since it was yet midday—and so he decided to wander to the docks that were not far from the house.

What people were awake and were in his way as he made his way to the docks he gave slight nods to as some if not most of them smiled at him or gave him a ' _good morning_ ' as he passed.

He knew it was rather silly to think she had left them or anything of that nature, as he believed beyond anything that she cared too much for them and she cared much more than that for him… She believed in him this far, so he it was only fair he believe in her.

A snowflake tapped him on the nose from above, pulling the dwarf from his thoughts and he glanced up at the slightly-bleak skies as the snowfall had seemed to accompany him in his search of the female, and a slight smile made his bearded face twitch upward before he looked at where he was heading to spot a lone figure seated on the lip of the jetty. He had seen her from behind too many times in the past to recognize the thin frame of his elf, and his smile widened a bit at having his assumptions proven correct, approaching the jetty to stop just shy of her by a few inches. He placed his clasped hands at his back and cleared his throat. "I did not think you would be out in this weather." He mused quietly.

She smiled wryly, rather surprised he had been the one to seek her out, slightly nodding her head and hearing him shuffle before he sat down at her left. "I just needed to step out for a bit. S' a bit overbearing, being in there." She replied in the same tone.

"You don't like it." He didn't ask, slightly puzzled on her actions.

"Giving people the impossible amount of hope towards what may result from a completely-mad venture, being praised and respected for what may happen… It's frightening, and more often than naught I've been tempted to run from it all." A rueful chuckle passed her lips and she kicked her feet, lowering her stare to her boots even as she felt his eyes on her the entire time, and she pulled the hem of her cloak closer to her chest. "I've never liked to be expected for things, especially of things that may or may not happen in the future, because I'm afraid to fail. And if I fail those I love…" She trailed off to let out a short exhale.

"That is why you could never go through with marrying that prince…" Thorin murmured, having lifted a hand to stroke his beard as he listened to her explanation. "You ran from whatever could have happened if you'd married him."

"I did care for him at one point, yes, but that was years ago… I ran from them because it was what my mother wanted, but not what I wanted." Eäriel replied as she lifted her hand to run slender fingers through her hair.

He had a feeling he already knew the answer to his next question, but he was rather curious to hear her answer, "And what is it, that you want?" He asked carefully.

She took a moment to think of an answer. What she wanted was to choose her own path, to be free of what she was expected to do with her immortal life, to see the beauty of the world… to be with one she loved. A smile ghosted her lips as she reflected briefly on all that had befallen her between this moment and the moment she accepted Gandalf's request to go on a venture with the dwarves, and it seemed a flame that had been there in her chest –only igniting when she found herself in the dwarf king's presence—only strengthened as she recognized one thing.

She wanted _him_ , because with him she was happy and free.

"You." Eäriel finally replied in a quiet voice, causing him to slightly perk up and his blue irises to look up at her in surprise, and her smile only became more brilliant and warm. "Because I have not found happiness anywhere but with you." _Valar since when had she become so bold?_ Her ears reddened and she looked away, doubt niggling at her subconscious, but she shoved it away with all her might.

No, he probably thought her mad, he probably aspired to court a dwarven woman once the Mountain was reclaimed… She was mad to be so bold in the first place, especially with a king of all people…!

Thorin felt his ears heat up as the warmth had spread through his face and neck as he listened to her answer, the part of him that had since warmed by her presence in his life making his heart do that flip-flop in his chest, and he inhaled. Before he knew what he was doing, before he believed she could fathom just what was taking place, he lifted a hand to touch her cheekbone as he'd done the previous night and held her stare that searched his as if for an answer. The imploring light in her paler blue irises died slowly to let trust soften her stare that held his, and a second smile pulled at her lips he had found himself staring at very frequently of late, before he steeled himself from any further hesitation as he leaned in to press his lips to hers and closed his eyes as he did so.

Eäriel momentarily stiffened against him, causing him to doubt his actions and he considered drawing away, before she reciprocated gently; her heart did one or two of those odd flip-flops and threatened to leave her very ribcage before she felt his fingers that had stroked her cheek lift to curl in the locks of her hair she had let down, and her smile widened.

Thorin drew back per both her sake as well as his respect for her, hearing a soft breathy laugh escape her as he looked at her to see her face was as flushed as his was, and he sincerely doubted it was because of the snow. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to be so forward…" He started to excuse his sudden behavior.

"No, I… I'm glad you did." Even if she was probably the only woman he had ever kissed, Eäriel would admit he was a damned-good kisser… She looked at the proud gleam in his stormy irises and giggled softly, stroking his scruffy cheek with her smile still present.

Perhaps she wasn't so mad after all.

* * *

 _ **an** : **YES I AM SHIPPER TRASH, DEAL OKAY OKAY HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE**. no but srsly, this is my thanks for those of you who've taken the time to read through this lovely fic, esp to **EMERALD EMPIRES** , **isfoss86** , **Rhovania** , and **Robinbird79** for the newest faves and follows! :) _


	14. Empty Gold

.

* * *

The inn was rather quiet… Too quiet for elf ears, anyway.

It seemed only elves could hear their own despite the latter's determination to remain undetected, as she opened an eye and momentarily scanned the darkness of her room, seeing nothing.

Yet she knew someone was here, someone uninvited…

A knock sounded on her window then, causing the elleth to sit up alertly in bed and she looked to the window nearby; a relieved exhale sounded right before she silently cursed her luck.

"What the devil are you doing here?" She hissed as she undid the latch on the window and let her visitor into the room, stepping aside as the second uninvited guest shortly followed the first into her room, landing on sure feet on the wooden floor.

The redhead huffed slightly and looked at her dubiously, "As if you _weren't_ expecting us to meet again."

The brunette let her frown falter at her words and she shook her head, stepping forward to embrace the elleth who quickly returned the gesture. "I _was_ expecting, just not so soon." She replied before pulling away, smirking at her, to which she received a likewise smirk.

"Thank the stars we found you here, we'd thought the orcs had found you before we did." The blonde said as he reminded the redhead as to why they had come.

Eäriel frowned again, "I should've known they would not give up the chase…" A short huff escaped her as she held his stare, both sets of piercing stares holding as she added, "Regardless if they had, between three elves and thirteen dwarves, we could've taken them with ease. You know as well as I that the twins are just as dangerous as us, and the dwarves are no less strong…"

"That's not the only reason we've come, Eäriel!" Legolas interrupted sharply, watching her opened mouth close and lips set into a pursed line as she slightly arched a brow to urge he continue, and he exhaled. "I know you're reckless and tenacious, but to go to _the Mountain?_ To rush to your death by dragonfire! It's madness, and you know it is." He demanded.

Eäriel pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled sharply as she stepped away, "If I'm not hearing it from Uncle, I'm hearing it from you, from everyone else that isn't a dwarf…"

"You are hearing it because you're _not_. _a_. _dwarf_. You have a home, you have a life that is not fit for this mad venture Oakenshield has dragged you into, you have friends and family that don't want you to die because of that crownless dwarf." Legolas stated, watching her jaw clench as she took a steady inhale to reign in her boiling temper, and he fisted his hands at his sides as he stood his ground. He would be damned before he watched her die when he could (and would) do something about it.

"If you're going to drag me back to the Woodland Realm, believe me when I say I would rather face _a thousand dragons_ than _ever_ go back there… I am not going back, _not_ to a _fruitless_ future, _not_ to be _imprisoned_ for the rest of eternity!" Eäriel snapped coldly, maintaining a quiet tone even though by rights she should be yelling at him for insulting not just her sanity but her king, and when their eyes met there was a silent rage in her eyes that dug into his stare.

A knock sounded on her door, causing the tension that had swarmed into the room to fade a bit, as the redhead who had been watching the disagreement in silence shuffled to open the door.

"We thought we heard your angered tone." Elladan said first as he and Elrohir slipped into the darkened room, frowning slightly at the tense stances both blonde and brunette elves sported.

Elrohir nodded slightly to the redhead, "They used to do this a bit of a lot when we were younger."

"You're not helping…" Eäriel rubbed a hand over her face; well, it was better than waking the Company… she didn't want to fathom just how furious Thorin would be if he found out Legolas was in her room at this hour. "Whether you choose to think me sane or mad, I don't care at this point, because I've already chosen my path."

The longer their stares held, the more he saw her tenacity and the ferocity of her loyal heart that had been given to someone else… Legolas' jaw clenched before he sighed slowly. "Even if what is asked of us will not happen, you are still someone important to me, to Tauriel, and to the twins… You always have been, have you not?" He glanced away from her surprised stare before looking to her again from beneath his brow.

Eäriel nodded slowly before she smiled a little, "Your friendship means very much to me, even after so long, old friend."

"You had nothing to worry about, Legolas." Elrohir mused with a smirk.

"On the contrary, you nearly had him when you were fighting those orcs on the river." Tauriel commented, giving her fellow female a look.

Eäriel rolled her eyes, "Dare I ask if you didn't come not only to see I was fine but also because of _a certain archer?_ " She watched the redhead's ears redden in embarrassment before she averted her gaze, causing a smug smirk to play at her lips.

" _Why_ did I know you knew?" Tauriel thought aloud, earning a quiet chuckle.

"You and Kili." Elladan cocked a brow as he and Elrohir looked at the blushing redhead. He looked to the blonde, "You knew!"

"It's _not_ something we agree on, but yes." Legolas lamented before he elbowed her.

Tauriel returned the jab, "He's only complaining because I'm not the only she-elf in the same situation."

Eäriel didn't speak for a moment, even though she was blushing slightly, and she instead folded her arms at her chest, "before you lecture me again, I have one request to ask of you." She looked to the blonde.

"What is it?" Legolas asked; it couldn't be any worse than what she was going to do come daybreak.

"On the horrible occurrence that the dragon flees the Mountain, there is a family that will need your help. A father and three children, the father is named Bard… He is a good man, and he has shown kindness to us while we've been in Laketown; it is the least I – _we_ —can do for him." Eäriel replied with a slight sigh, looking to the twins who shared a brief nod with her. She looked on the prince again, "do I have your word?" She asked.

Legolas, surprised that she had actually found a friend in and wished to save the life of a man and those of his family, recognized that perhaps her time spent with the dwarves was a good thing… Perhaps she had become more compassionate in her time away from her kind. "You have it. Tauriel and I will make it so they escape what may come." He nodded.

A bright gleam appeared in her eyes, and Eäriel smiled. "Thank you."

 **|} x {|**

She had never been fond of crowds for as long as she could remember. She looked past the crowded docks on either side of the main waterway to the buildings of Esgaroth, momentarily scanning the taller points of the town where she believed her friends had stowed away for the meantime.

Even if they didn't awaken the dragon, at least fate had let her see them one more time…

"You seem anxious." A familiar voice commented from the side, yanking her from her observations, and the elleth turned slightly to look on the halfling.

An amused smile fought to show on her lovely face as she was firstly met with a tall and pointed helmet that protected his curly-haired head from damage, before she found his brown eyes from beneath the furry brim of the helmet, and she absently tugged the lapels of the crimson cloak closer to her neck. "Aye, anxious to leave here as soon as possible… Perhaps I'm too fond of the Wild to linger too long among Men." Eäriel shrugged with a chuckle.

Bilbo smiled wryly at her reply, looking at the dwarves and the twins as they were loading the supplies they would need onto the large boat before he looked elsewhere to the townsfolk wishing them farewell, glad for the helmet even if for a moment as a chilly breeze danced its way past their docked barge. "You're not frightened then, if we do find a dragon in there?" Wondered the halfling as he looked up at her.

Eäriel pondered for a moment on his question, and fought the shudder that rose up her spine towards the thought of coming face-to-face with that drake, before she exhaled slightly. "Just a little, but I wish to think we'll retake the Mountain without much resistance… Well, less of a resistance than what we've already encountered." She smiled a little as the chilly breeze lightly tugged at loose locks of her hair she'd partially pulled back and nipped at her cheeks and nose before fleeing.

It was a fool's hope, after all, and she was most likely not the only one who thought the same.

 **|} x {|**

"You're quite sure you don't want one of us to scout ahead?" Elrohir asked of his sister.

Eäriel smiled a little and clapped a hand on his shoulder, "I will be fine."

"Report back if you see or hear anything unusual," reminded Thorin as he had walked alongside the elleth since they had left the boat on the shores a few hours ago, meeting her eyes that glanced to him.

"You still worry too much, darling," Eäriel chuckled but obeyed his order, giving him a wink before she took off ahead of them to take to the skies as a falcon, giving a light cry before she climbed higher into the air and then flew away.

Thorin huffed bemusedly at her remark and paused for a moment to watch the brown-feathered raptor fly off into the brisk day, continuing to lead the way as the twins came up on either side, and he glanced up at the green-eyed ellon. "You do not have to linger with me, you know," he said.

"Nonsense, we don't mind it. 'Sides, how would we face our sister again if we let something happen to her beloved?" Elladan waved it off, earning a mildly surprised look from the dwarf.

"What else does she say?" Thorin wondered absently as he mulled over the elf's comment, the last word ringing in his ears. ' _Beloved'_ …

Elrohir recognized the far-off look that slowly clouded the king's stormy irises and he smiled wryly, supplying for his twin, "She finds you compassionate." He received a likewise-wry smile from his sibling who glanced at him over the dwarf's head.

"And honorable!" Elladan agreed.

Thorin's lips quirked up before he looked to the sky as a cry came from their scout who dropped to land nimbly on the uneven terrain as an elf. "You saw nothing." He searched her pale blue stare that drifted from the rough lands that had been touched by winter's early chill to land on his inquisitive gaze.

"Nothing out of the ordinary; it seems luck remains on our side." Eäriel answered with a shake of her head, smiling at him, earning a slightly elated look.

Thorin nodded and returned the smile, nodding to the others behind them, "Come on!"

 **|} x {|**

It was at least three hours later that the odd troop at last reached the overlook, a rough incline that looked over the valley that stretched between the higher inclines and the Mountain itself, with the ruins of a formerly-great city sitting in the middle of the valley and was not even five miles from the gates of the dwarf kingdom.

"We're almost there!" Kili said as he and Fili jogged to stand alongside their uncle who was first to the overlook.

"What is this place?" Bilbo wondered quietly as his eyes lingered briefly on the gates of the kingdom before settling on the ruined city not so far from said kingdom, looking from the elves to the dwarves.

Balin answered sadly, "it was once the city of Dale, now in ruins… the desolation of Smaug."

Thorin briefly spared the city a look before he said, "Come, we must reach the hidden door before sunset." He started to lead the Company away from the overlook.

"Hang on, this is the overlook, isn't it? Gandalf said for us to meet him here; on no account were we to…" Bilbo called to the king.

"Do you _see_ him here?" Thorin interrupted with some impatience in his low voice as he turned to the halfling, "we've no time to wait upon a wizard, for we're on our own. Come on." He clapped a hand on his shoulder before turning away.

Eäriel paused in following the twins' trail to retrieve her friend, looking at him, "I understand your hesitation, but Gandalf isn't here… Nor is he in Dale." At his slight frown towards her comment, she smiled in an attempt to cheer him up and nodded in the direction of the Mountain, "come along, Master Burglar." She ushered him along after the others, glancing briefly at the ruins of the former city, before she jogged after her friends.

Shortly after leaving the overlook, the Company took to scouting for any hint of a sign of a hidden door as they fanned out from where they had momentarily stopped in a pocket of rocky terrain that was a small valley.

"If the map is true, then the hidden door is somewhere above us!" Thorin called as he stood at the foot of a few rough hills with the map in hand as he surveyed the runes for what seemed the fifth time within the hour.

"Boys, do you have anything?" Eäriel called to her siblings, as she and the twins had been given a bit of a head start and were allowed to look at the map before taking off in three different paths, looking to the two.

"Nothing yet!" Replied Elladan.

"We should've found it by now!" Elrohir said impatiently.

"Keep looking!" Thorin declared.

" _'Right piece of work'_ is an understatement…" Elrohir muttered to his twin who couldn't disagree but instead nudged him to hush up before they went looking once again.

Eäriel looked at where Bilbo trailed off to and she shortly followed him, coming to a halt at his left as they both found a large statue of a dwarf lord carved into the right side of the Mountain, and with their keen eyes both misfits focused their sights on a set of stairs that were carved into the statue's side. "Bilbo you beauty!" The female grinned in relief.

"Up here!" Bilbo called to the others as he gestured for them to come and see.

Excitement and relief brightened Thorin's blue eyes as he was last to see the hidden stairwell, clapping a hand on the halfling's back, "You have keen eyes indeed, Master Baggins!" He said.

"Well _that_ looks like fun…" Elladan huffed.

Elrohir snorted slightly, "I'm still in shock we were outdone by _a halfling_ …"

Eäriel smiled wryly at her brothers, slapping both on the back, "Come on, if we're to climb that, then we must be quick!" She teased, taking off first for the stairs at a run.

Thorin smiled, as giddy as his elleth at their fortune, before he followed her leave and let the others run after them.

 **|} x {|**

The sun slowly began to die beyond the western horizon, causing the sky to bleed scarlet, and the elevation caused the chilled breeze of an early winter to dance and grace the troop with its presence as it came and went.

Thorin and his nephews were first on the flat stoop of the door, the ten dwarves shortly joining them and the elves lastly until everyone stood on the troop; Eäriel looked on the stone wall the trio of princes stood before, and she gave a soft huff of relief as a smile began to show.

Fate really was with them.

"The hidden door," Thorin said quietly in amazement as well as shock, before he turned to the odd troop and his eyes met hers to see happiness brighten her pale irises, and he smiled as he withdrew the key he had kept around his neck. "Let all who doubted us rue this day!" He said proudly, to which the Company let out a happy cheer; the twins smiled wryly, whereas their sister beamed even as her heart did that flip-flop in her chest at seeing how brilliant he looked when he smiled.

Dwalin approached the stone wall and began feeling around, "Right then, we've got a key, so there must be a keyhole…"

" _'The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole'_ …" Thorin recited as he had approached the lip of the stoop and looked back at the wall as he said so, looking to Balin and sharing a brief smile of excitement.

The twins shared a look when the tattooed dwarf couldn't find the keyhole, glancing back at the sun as its descent below the horizon seemed to escalate by the second, as Thorin urged Nori to help Dwalin.

"The sun is going down…" Eäriel muttered with a frown that began to crinkle her brow as she could feel the anxiety surmounting on the dwarf king just by standing close to him, looking on the two dwarves as Dwalin began pushing against the wall, and Nori continued tapping the stone with a spoon and listened to the noise with a small cup.

"Come on!" Dwalin growled out as he began kicking the stone.

Nori protested, "Be quiet; can't hear when you're thumping!"

"It's not here…!" Dwalin snapped.

Thorin's anxiety had turned to irritation, "Break it down!" He commanded the dwarves, as Bifur, Glóin and Dwalin began hacking and striking at the wall with their borrowed weapons. " _Come on!_ " He urged.

"At this rate the weapons won't last if they keep beating the wall with them," Elrohir grimly grumbled to his siblings.

Elladan agreed in the same tone, "It's not like they had much hope anywho, those weapons were crafted by mortal smithies of all people…"

"All of you, _enough_ ; the door cannot be opened by brute force!" Eäriel ran a hand through her hair as she looked at the trio, stepping forward to stop them from further breaking their weapons.

"Eäriel is right, it's no good! The door's sealed… s' got powerful magic on it." Balin agreed with their elf, shaking his head.

Bilbo frowned on the scene as he could feel disappointment and a sweeping sense of shame fill the air of the stoop, looking past them at the sky as the sun had finally died down to let twilight bleed from the far west.

" _No!_ " Thorin rumbled as he strode towards the wall, to which the elleth shied away to let him step forward, with desperation nearly emanating from his body. He pulled the map out from his coat's folds to look over it once again, before he recited with a certain thickness in his voice that made her ache, "' _the last light of Durin's Day, will shine upon the keyhole'_ …" He looked on the odd troop before him, at a loss and full of despair at their failure, at his failure…" That is what it says… What did we miss?" He asked them at large, before looking on his advisor and asking the question once again.

Balin gave a shake of his head, looking away with as much despair as his friend felt, "We've lost the light… there's nothing to be done; we had but one chance."

Eäriel looked at the dwarves with her, her small makeshift family she had come to love as if they were her own, and she looked at the princes only to have her heart sink at the crestfallen manner of their drooped heads. _Oh Eru_ …

"Come along, lads, it's over," Dwalin muttered as he ushered Fili and Kili with him so they followed the others back to the stairwell to begin the long trek down.

"This can't be right…" Elladan murmured with a shake of his head. "It cannot be over!" He said, looking to the dejected state of the dwarves before looking to his sister, " _Muinthel_ …"

Eäriel shook her head and stepped up to the dwarf king, "Thorin, come on! There _must_ be a way… there has to be! Please, don't give up yet…!" She urged as she grabbed his coat sleeve, causing him to turn and look up at her.

"We've lost the light, Eäriel… This quest was for naught from the start." Thorin silenced her, lifting his stare from beneath his furrowed brow to hold hers, his stomach giving a lurch as hopelessness began to darken her piercing irises, and he shrugged away from her grasp to follow his kinsmen down.

"Thorin…" Eäriel murmured before she fisted her hands at her sides and shook her head, giving a shallow sigh.

"What should we do now?" Elrohir asked of his sister, looking at her and not missing the slight quiver in her squared shoulders, a frown on his brow.

"Follow them, secure their way down. Both of you." Eäriel ordered quietly, not meeting the twins' collective look as she turned to the wall, stooping slightly to lift the discarded key from the rocky floor. She heard them leave the stoop as well, looking about to find Bilbo was also present as he was looking between the map and the stone wall. Well at least she wasn't the only one who wasn't going to give up on Thorin.

" _'Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks_ …'" Bilbo recited to himself as he looked between the wall and the map, tapping his forehead with a finger as he mumbled, " _'the last light'_ …"

' _The last light of Durin's Day_ '… It couldn't be the sunlight, for the sun had already set minutes ago. _So wait_ …

Eäriel looked up at the night sky as a chilled breeze attempted to play with her hair as it kissed her cheeks, pale blue irises looking to the moon as she slowly emerged from behind a passerby cloud. A smile started to show on her lovely face, and she echoed, " _'the last light'!"_

A small bird flitted past her then, a thrush judging by the markings on its feathers, to begin tapping the stone wall with a snail's shell it had caught in its beak. Both misfits looked on the wall as the moon bathed the stone in her pale light, causing a small pocket of shade to appear near the middle, the shade making the form of a keyhole.

"The last light! It's the _last light_ , Eäriel!" Bilbo exclaimed happily, grinning from ear to ear at the sheer genius of fate.

Eäriel laughed and gave him a quick hug that made him squeak before she set him down, jogging to the stairwell and crowing, her voice bouncing off the stone around them, "Come back! It was the moon, the moonlight! _Muindyr_ , Thorin! **_Mell nîn_** _!_ " She cried with a giddy laugh.

She knew Eru hadn't abandoned them, she just knew!

As if he knew just what she meant when she used that moniker, Thorin was first to return to the stoop, slightly huffing and puffing as he returned; his blue eyes flew from the hobbit to their elleth as she beamed at him, rather breathless with relief and excitement that made her paler blue eyes shine like stars. The others shortly came after him, with the twins near the princes, the two elves rather winded from having run back up the stairwell with the dwarves.

Eäriel stepped towards the dwarf and smiled warmly on him as she deposited the key into his hand she had lifted with gentle fingers, slightly dipping her head down per respect to him; this was _his_ home, _his_ family's legacy, so respect was the least she could give to him. "My king." She murmured, her smile widening as a smile made his bearded face twitch upward and their stares held for a fraction of a second before she nodded slightly at the door.

Elrohir and Elladan looked to their sister as she shuffled to stand with them near the tail of the Company, the former placing an arm around her shoulders and giving a squeeze, as the latter could indeed see the admiration and love their sister held for the dwarf king. The trio of elves watched as Thorin placed the key into its slot and turned it, until a faint hum of mechanisms turning and twisting into place was caught by their sharp ears, and the door opened with a muffled ' _thump'_. He slowly pushed the door open until they all could see the darkness of an unused hall beyond the door that had opened just wide enough for one dwarf to enter.

Not a soul moved or spoke, the dwarves least of all as they looked on the opening in awe and elation, and it seemed even the winds had stilled in their dance for that one moment.

"…Erebor." Thorin murmured.

Balin came to his side, "Thorin…" He said, his voice rather thick with emotions that seemed to sweep about the remaining dwarves.

Thorin placed a comforting hand on his old friend's shoulder before stepping into the darkened hall.

" _Do we go with them…?_ " Elladan asked quietly, looking to the dwarves as they were given their privacy before he looked to his siblings.

Elrohir slightly shook his head, " _It is not our home to enter… It is only respectful to wait here, is it not?_ " He looked to their sister.

Eäriel gave a soft sigh and agreed, " _Unless asked to come forth, yes_." At least she was not the only one standing in the cold. Still, what he had said of her uncle's supposedly private conversation as well as her ' _spat'_ that last night in Rivendell couldn't seem to leave the fore of her mind, no matter how she tried to shake it off.

' _Can you swear that Thorin Oakenshield will not fall, and will not drag my daughter down with him?_ '

' _You don't believe in Thorin's quest, but I do… I will not abandon him_.'

"… _'Arkenstone'_ ; what's that…?" Bilbo asked from his place among the dwarves, looking from Balin to the others.

Thorin's low-timbre voice spoke before Balin could answer, " _That_ , Master Burglar, is what you're here for."

"The Arkenstone…" Elrohir echoed quietly, a thin line formed on his lips.

Elladan frowned at the name, "That stone drove King Thrór mad, and his son after him… _Adar_ said it himself." He agreed. "What will become of Thorin…?" He wondered in the same tone.

"He will surely go mad; tell me you haven't also seen the signs, Eäriel." Elrohir commented in a still-quiet tone, briefly looking to their sister who looked deep in thought, continuing, "that glint in his eye the closer we got to the Mountain, it was there even though it was off and on, and everyone who knows the tale knows the gold in there is cursed." He muttered the last bit darkly.

"He will _not_ go mad… I will not let him." Eäriel quieted both of her siblings, having surfaced from where her mind had strayed to and now looking on the twins with sharpened eyes, " _I_ _know_ he is in there. He is still my king…"

"What're you three doing out there?" The elven trio jumped slightly at the voice of the dwarf king as he looked on them standing on the stoop in the cold night.

Elrohir coughed slightly and offered, "We didn't wish to intrude."

"We thought you lot deserved a bit of respect, Master Oakenshield." Elladan chimed in with a slight smile.

Kili and Fili poked their heads out as they stood on either side of their uncle, the blonde saying with a smile, "Nonsense, you three are our friends!"

"Come on, it's cold out there!" Kili chimed as he nodded to the elves.

Eäriel smiled for her siblings and nodded when being given two respective glances, letting them shrug past her into the doorway, perking up as Thorin stepped out into the cold after telling his nephews he wouldn't be long to step up to her. The kiss they had shared that morning on the jetty briefly entered her mind and caused her cheeks to warm, before she coughed slightly and tugged the lapel of her cloak closer to her chest as he came to her. "I will be along, don't fret." She assured.

"It is not a crime, for guests to enter our home. Much less for friends... or _more_ -than-friends." Thorin rumbled quietly, and she could see he was still his own person when their eyes met, that fondness for her brightening his stormy orbs.

"Even if your… ' _guest'_ is an elf, ostracized and without a title to her name?" Eäriel slightly huffed before glancing away from his gaze that dug into her skull to the stars in the sky, as reality suddenly seemed to remind her of her standing in the world.

She had no family left aside from those in Rivendell, and had cut herself off from her kind so what chance she had for a ' _normal'_ immortal life was all-but gone by now… She had no one.

"Even if you were the lowest of the low among elves, I do not regret a single thing about you, Eäriel." His temper began to flare as it was rather stinging in his low voice, pulling her from her thoughts, as he silently cursed those who told or made her think otherwise. When she looked at him and started to open her mouth, he continued with a steady exhale, "Where you stand with your kin does not matter in my eyes, because if you are the you that I have cared for all this time, then that means more to me than those who have doubted you… doubted _us_." He was mildly surprised he had kept his tone in check, even though he wished for nothing more than to blot out the doubt she felt.

Eäriel closed her mouth only to let a smile slowly form on her lips as she glanced away from him when a small pocket of silence followed his statement, " _Mell_ _nîn_ means ' _my love'_ , in elvish… And I have cared for you too, and I always will." Her ears were warm again, and she watched his face soften even as his cheeks colored a smidge beneath his beard.

" _Amrâlimê_ … It means the same, as what you called me." Thorin rumbled quietly, causing her ears to tingle at the moniker.

"I told you it would happen."

"Pay up, Fee."

"I bet they would admit it before we got to the Mountain, Kee."

"And I bet they wouldn't admit it until we got into Laketown."

" **You still lost, now pay up**."

The odd couple blinked once before looking to their unnecessary audience, simultaneously looking to the motley group that were looking between them with a mixture of smug and victorious expressions.

Despite the blush in her cheeks, Eäriel chuckled quietly and folded her arms at her chest as they faced their friends, her slight smile faltering as she did a brief head-count and found they were short one hobbit. "Bilbo, where is he, and Balin too?" She asked.

"He and Balin went deeper into the Mountain; Bilbo's gone to look for the Arkenstone," Fili answered, slightly nodding at the doorway behind them.

Eäriel's smile fell altogether, "You let him go in _alone?_ " She asked rather sharply, looking from the dwarves to her brothers with surprise.

"It was what he was _required_ to do, once signing the contract." Thorin reminded at her side, seeing the rising concern in her stare and he exhaled slightly, "He will be fine, Eäriel." He added.

The twins shared a look between each other as their sister reluctantly nodded, looking away and to the darkened doorway.

 **|} x {|**

At least an hour or so passed while the troop stood on the stoop; Balin had returned minutes after she had reluctantly conceded to waiting for the hobbit, and he assured her their burglar would be all right.

"And if he runs into that dragon?" Elladan muttered from a part of the stoop he and Elrohir stood by.

"We must at least have faith that he won't… That beast isn't accustomed to hobbit scent." Elrohir reminded with a slight nudge, nodding slightly to their sister as she paced a bit.

Eäriel slightly jumped minutes later as a tremor rippled through the stone of their stoop, causing the others to also jump or startle at the sensation, and she reflexively grabbed for her sword when a low growl and the distant sound of something crashing shortly followed the tremor. She quickly looked into the darkened hall again, anxiety towards what was happening deeper inside the Mountain slowly bleeding into her nerves.

"Was that an earthquake?" Nori asked at large.

Balin looked away from the distant skies to the worried and rather anxious expressions on his companions' faces and answered solemnly, " _that_ , my lad, was a dragon."

Kili gulped as he and Fili's faces had paled a bit at his grim answer; Elrohir and Elladan looked to the darkened pass again.

Tense silence filled the air of the stoop for another several long minutes before an ominous orange glow came from inside the hall, not going unnoticed by the elves as they had lingered near the entrance.

"What about Bilbo?" Kili asked.

Thorin replied over his shoulder, "Give him more time."

Balin frowned at him; "' _Time_ ' to do what, to be _killed?_ " Eäriel demanded with sharpness in her quiet voice.

Thorin looked back to Balin and Eäriel, and it was now that the lattermost could see what her brothers meant just by noting the darkened glint in his stormy orbs. "You're afraid… both of you."

"Yes, I'm afraid," Balin admitted with a slight huff, stepping closer to his friend and adding as he pointed a finger at him, "I fear for _you_. A sickness lies upon that treasure, a sickness that drove your grandfather mad…"

"I am _not_ my grandfather." Thorin cut across him, sharply looking away from the mountain to the rough terrain beyond his reach.

"You're not _yourself!_ " Remarked Balin, and he continued, "the Thorin I know would not hesitate to go in there…"

Thorin snapped, "I will _not_ risk this quest for the sake of one… _burglar_." He didn't see the rather disgusted look on his old friend's face.

" _Bilbo_." Eäriel said softly, and when he glanced back at her, she added clearly, "His name is Bilbo. And he is your friend as much as he is mine; if you wish to mull it over out here instead of bloody-well _doing_ something about it, then stay and fret." She looked to her siblings with a slight nod before turning to head inside the Mountain.

"You will stay here." Thorin commanded as he turned to glare at her, only for the she-elf to ignore him as she strode into the hall with the twins at her heels. " _Eäriel!_ " That blasted elf… once again he wondered why Mahal had deemed she be so headstrong.

 **|} x {|**

The trio dashed into the mountain as the darkened hall had led them into the wider and more grand halls of the former kingdom. Elladan made to ask which way to go when they all heard a low rumbling voice on the right, causing them to run down that direction, ascending a flight of stairs before coming to a flat stairwell landing that had another set of steps leading down. It seemed surprise and disdain overcame the siblings as they were met with mountains upon mountains of gold that stretched as far as they could see.

"The treasure hoard," Elrohir murmured in a measure of amazement.

Elladan looked away from the treasure to the rest of the kingdom, "where could Bilbo be?" He wondered aloud.

Eäriel's ears twitched as she distinctly heard a set of bare feet on stone behind them, and she said, "this way." She turned about to lead the way down the staircase behind them at a sprint. She prayed she wasn't hearing things as the pitter-patter of bare feet running on stone filled her ears the further they ran as they ended up in a long corridor, until something solidly collided with her middle and knocked her to the stone floor with an ' _oof_ ' as the same something had also hit the ground when they collided.

"Ow…" Eäriel shook her head as she was helped to her feet by one of the twins, before looking to see it was Bilbo who had run into her, the poor halfling seeming to be breathing heavily and looking quite shaken from his encounter. " **Bilbo**!" She and the twins said in unison before Elladan helped him up with a hand.

Bilbo spared a hasty look over his shoulder back the way he had come and he said then with evident fear in his voice as his words came in a hurried jumble, "he's coming; we've got to go."

"Come on, this way," Elrohir urged as he let go of his sister to lead the way back with Elladan shepherding Bilbo and Eäriel ahead as he kept his bow in hand, the odd quartet running back to the main stairwell that would lead to the hall they had first entered through, before a slight jolt passed through them at hearing a loud roar that sounded oddly distant yet close at the same time.

"Hurry!" Elladan declared as they picked up the pace once reaching the steps that would lead to the flat stairwell of the treasure hoard.

Eäriel looked up past her brother's head and almost sighed in relief at seeing Thorin had followed them into the mountain, looking out over the treasure in awe and admiration, and she had the sudden urge to barrel right for him and drag him out of the mountain... far and away from that beast!

Thorin snapped out of his moment as soon as the elves came into view and their burglar in the lead, turning to the hobbit, "You're alive!" He briefly shot a look up at the she-elf as she had skidded to a halt behind their friend.

"Not for much longer!" Elladan said.

"What of the Arkenstone?" Thorin demanded as he strode forward to block the hobbit's path, ignoring the elf.

"Thorin, the dragon's coming!" Elrohir declared exasperatedly.

"The Arkenstone!" Thorin rumbled sharply, that glint appearing in his eyes as he held the hobbit's bewildered stare in his, asking slowly, "did you find it…?" He didn't see the suspicious glance from the she-elf.

Bilbo panted slightly before he gestured to the way they had come, "No, we've got to get out…" He started to enter the passage way before a sharp ' _klang_ ' hummed in the air as Thorin had blocked his way with his borrowed sword. Confusion and further bewilderment filled the halfling as he backed away from the dwarf and the steely look in his eye as he turned the blade so it was pointed at his belly, "Thorin!"

Eäriel brushed past her brothers up the last few steps of the stairwell to push Bilbo behind her, placing herself between the sword and her friend. "Thorin, put it down…" She ordered, looking into his eyes and letting a shudder travel down her spine as she was met with a cold and steely look that she absolutely loathed on sight, knowing that this was not him, this was not her king… "For the love of Mahal, we must go, Thorin." She felt a second shudder follow the first one as she then heard something coming closer to them, something large… She looked at him with fear for his and the others' lives bleeding into her bones, "Thorin, _please!_ " She breathed.

Elladan and Elrohir looked up at the beast that had caused a dark shadow to appear; Eäriel jerked her stare away from the dwarf's to the red-scaled drake with cold yellow eyes and she couldn't help the fear at seeing it up close and threatening. She miraculously steeled herself from thinking of what was to come as she drew her sword from its scabbard.

Thorin heard the sound of her sword leaving its sheath and snapped out of it, stepping up to defend her with his own sword, as Elladan and Elrohir drew their respective swords to shield their sister and the hobbit.

As Smaug drew closer to the odd group, a collective yell sounded as the remaining dwarves rushed out from the hall with their weapons on hand, turning to face off against the drake. A loud roar erupted from the dragon's maw as he then rushed the remaining distance between he and the odd troop, his chest brightening with that ominous orange glow as he got ever closer, " _ **You will burn**!_ " Thundered the drake.

A collective yell sounded from everyone as they quickly turned and jumped off the staircase, sliding and or tumbling down the nearest treasure pile to end up in the opening of another passage way, scrambling to run down the hall to escape the drake on their heels.

Eäriel and Elrohir ushered the others to hurry deeper down the hall before shortly following their leave; a yell of pain sounded behind them, causing the elleth to twist around and see Thorin was the last to enter the hall and had shielded himself from the intense heat of the flames, with his coat aflame from the back. "Thorin!" Eäriel barked as she hurriedly helped him free of the burning coat, yanking the layer off him and stomping her boots onto the embers. She looked at him as he hopped to his feet from having tried to extinguish the flames via rolling on the stone ground, giving a slight sigh of relief at seeing he remained unscathed.

She really would clock him if he ever did that again.

"Come on," Thorin urged as they continued further into the mountain, glancing up at the she-elf when hearing her relieved sigh and affording a quick nod of thanks, before leading the way.

Eäriel's ears twitched as, after they had put enough distance between themselves and the treasure hoard, she noticed there was no noise; not a sound. Her hackles started to rise at the newest change in their otherwise-dangerous evening's events, before bumping into Elrohir's back pulled her from her observations, and she looked around him at the front to see Thorin had stopped them from exiting the pathway to make their way onto a long stone bridge that crossed over a deep chasm.

"I think we've given him the slip." Whispered Dori.

Dwalin remarked quietly, "no, he's too cunning for that."

"Is everyone all right, then?" Elladan asked quietly and at large.

Fili nodded as he was trying to regain his bearings, much like most of the dwarves, "Aye."

"Where to now?" Bilbo asked as he looked at Thorin.

Thorin poked his head out into the open to see that things remained ominously silent, before he looked at his companions, "the western guard room; there may be a way out."

"It's too high," Balin reminded, "there's no chance that way."

"It's our only chance, so we've got to try." Thorin stated, turning to face the bridge and motioning for the others to follow him across.

Eäriel looked around as she kept to the tail per reflex with Hathelas on hand; dread slowly bled into her subconscious as she noted again that it was too quiet, and she would admit she greatly disliked it… The soft ' _clink'_ of a coin dropping onto stone made her stiffen then, as everyone else froze for a second at the noise, before looking to where the hobbit was to see he was checking his person to find the coin wasn't from him. She looked away from him to look up for a moment only to freeze as she looked on the one who had dropped the coin, tugging on her brother's sleeve to get his attention.

Soon all seventeen sets of eyes lifted to the oversized lizard that slithered his way above them and over the chasm, more coins and a few gems dropping from the indentations in his scales as he searched for his prey. At Thorin's silent urging, the Company rushed the rest of the way across as quietly as they could while sparing glances up at the drake every other second to make sure it hadn't spotted them. Once they were clear, they broke into a run right for the very room mentioned with Thorin in the lead again.

"Stay close…" Thorin advised before his words left him as he set foot inside the guard room and came to an abrupt halt in the entrance, looking on the morbid scene with shame and anger rolled into one.

Eäriel came to a halt at Elrohir's left and looked on the dead littered with cobwebs and piled upon each other with a measure of horror, before anger steeled itself to the fore, and she felt the backs of her eyes become hot with threatening tears. She closed her mouth that had gone slightly slack jaw in shock until her lips set into a thin line, and she inhaled sharply as she looked down at her boots and her grasp on Hathelas' handle trembled in her state.

 _If only she had been braver, if only she would have braved the fire_ …

"…Last of our kin. They must've come here, hoping beyond hope…" Balin murmured sadly, looking to their leader, "we could try to reach the mines; might last a few days." He supported.

Thorin gave a slight shake of his head as he stepped forward, looking to the corpses, before his voice came out quietly. "No… I will not die like this; _cowering_ , clawing for breath…" Fire seemed to steal into his resolve then, as he turned to face his companions, "We make for the forges." He proposed firmly.

"He'll see us, sure as death," Dwalin commented.

"Not if we split up." Thorin remarked.

Balin stepped up to his king, "Thorin, we'll never make it."

"Some of us might: lead him to the forges." Thorin said, adding with fire and determination in his voice that made her very chest ache, "We kill the dragon… If this is to end _in_ _fire_ , then we'll all burn _together_."

He then split everyone into groups with Balin, Bilbo, and Eäriel at his side.

Eäriel clapped her brothers on the shoulder as they were to stick with the princes and urged they stay safe and be quick, before she followed Thorin's lead back to the bridge they had come through; she glanced back at her brothers and afforded a small smile before taking the tail of their small quartet.

"This way!" Thorin declared as they ran, looking up as movement came from above before the drake reappeared, his eyes on the dwarves and hobbit and elf.

" _ **Flee, run for your lives; there is nowhere to hide**!_ " Smaug taunted the fleeing group.

"Behind you!" Dori called, causing the drake to turn his attention to them as they were on one of the lower bridges.

Eäriel felt Thorin's grab for her sleeve to urge they continue running as the drake turned to chase Dori and the others and give them time to flee, and she in turn grabbed his hand to put distance between they and their pursuer. True she worried enough for her own life, but she worried moreso for everyone else's lives, her brothers and Thorin especially.

"This way, come on!" Balin said as they darted into a small corridor that served as a shortcut and would lead to the forges.

Bilbo and Eäriel skidded to a halt to follow him into the corridor, only to stop as Thorin continued down the hall. " _Thorin!_ " Bilbo called, causing the dwarf king to skid to a halt and look back at him and the she-elf.

Thorin made to dash into the corridor when he caught sight of Smaug at the end of the hall, to which the drake also caught sight of him at the same time… "Follow Balin!" He ordered, seeing the fear for his life in her piercing eyes and he added to his elf with a nod, "Eäriel, _go!_ " He insisted sharply.

" **Thorin**!" Eäriel shouted as he ran from the large flamethrower Smaug unleashed on the hall, yanking Bilbo with her into the corridor and shielding him from the flames in time, before they both looked at the simmering hall and then followed Balin deeper into the corridor. "Balin, we've got to go back for him!" She declared from running alongside Bilbo with his sleeve in her grasp.

"Thorin will meet us at the forges, Eäriel, he'll be all right; he wouldn't want his beloved in harm's way, for that matter, either!" Balin assured over his shoulder.

Bilbo looked up at her, "You finally said it, then?" He asked.

Eäriel shook her head and brushed it off, "Now's not the time for that, come on!"

The odd trio at last made it to the forges, which was a large cavern-like room in the mountain that held both carved-out waterfalls as well as several massive furnaces that was cut off via a high-rising wall of stone pillars and latticework on the lower halves of the pillars, to see their companions had also arrived safely to the destination.

Eäriel drew away from having thrown her arms around her brothers in a quick embrace when hearing a final set of feet hurrying to the temporary sanctuary, and she let out a sigh she hadn't known was present as Thorin came out from a narrow slit of latticework that was between two pillars to skid to a halt and look back at the way he had come.

"The plan's not gonna work," Dwalin said when seeing his friend arrived safely, his voice echoing in the high-ceilinged room, "these furnaces are stone cold!"

Balin agreed as he approached the younger dwarf, "He's right, there's no fire hot enough to set them ablaze."

A distant roar made the trio of elves' ears twitch before the lone female glanced between the latticework-wall and the furnaces and she smirked. "I wouldn't say that." She muttered, her comment not gone amiss by the dwarf king.

Thorin looked at her as he also thought the same thing, and they shared a look before he smiled, "have we not?" He turned away to jog up to the latticework and called tauntingly, "I didn't think you were so _easily outwitted!_ " A cold smirk began to curl his lips upward as the dragon slowly emerged from the pit he had briefly lost him in, and he continued as Smaug snarled at him, "You've grown _slow_ , and _fat_ , in your dotage… _Slug!_ " An excited smile fell on his lips as he turned to give a short nod to the elleth.

" _Take cover!_ " Eäriel shouted as shortly everyone –herself and Thorin included—ducked behind the high-rising pillars that protected them from what was to come.

Angry flames screamed past the pillars and those who had narrowly dodged the fire, as the flames soon ignited the hearths of the furnaces and caused them to spring to life, bringing the furnaces to full-working capacity as if they had never stopped working at all. Everyone scrambled away from the pillars just as a guttural growl came from the beast that slammed his weight against the pillars and attempted to get at them; the pillars began to groan behind them in protest to the banging of the dragon.

"Bombur, get those bellows working!" Thorin called to the pudgy dwarf, who proceeded to rush and do as told.

"It's not going to hold long!" Elladan said as he and Fili looked over at the pillars nervously.

Thorin turned to Balin, "Balin, can you still mix a flash flame?" He asked.

"Aye, it'll only take a jiffy!" Balin nodded, as he motioned the 'Ri brothers to follow him to a side room near the furnaces.

Dwalin muttered darkly with a glance at the pillars as they gave another protesting creak, "we don't _have_ a jiffy!"

"Bilbo; up there! On my mark, pull that lever!" Thorin said as he approached the halfling and motioned to where the lever was. He lightly clapped his shoulder when the halfling ran to his position, turning to the elleth, "stay with Bilbo." He requested, meeting her eyes and noting the worry that was still present in her paler blue irises, reflexively holding her hand.

Eäriel nodded and swallowed the anxiety she felt towards the impending breaking of those pillars and the drake that would come, ducking slightly to press her lips to his, and briefly surprised when he reciprocated with an apology in the manner of which he moved. "Be safe, will you?" She breathed as she reluctantly broke away, affording a quick smile that he returned before she stepped away to run after Bilbo.

"Eäriel!" Elladan called to his sister.

"Stay together, all four of you!" Eäriel returned over her shoulder, hopping onto the high mound as Bilbo was already ascending the second staircase that led up from the mound and catching up with him, and by the time both misfits reached a high enough point off ground the latticework finally gave way. She looked over at the wall as Smaug had burst in and looked about the forges with calculating slits for eyes, and she growled under her breath as she drew Hathelas and stood as a defense for Bilbo who had stopped at last by the appointed lever. Her eyes sharpened as Smaug turned his sights away from the hobbit to locate the one he had been chasing, and she uttered an oath. "Oi, you! Over here, you _glorified snake!_ " She shouted to hopefully deter the drake's attention away from her king.

" **NOW**!" Thorin commanded.

Bilbo quickly yanked down on the lever, causing gears that had been out of use to grind and creak, before large jets of gushing water burst out from the carved dwarven faces and slammed right into Smaug, dispensing the flames he sought to unleash and knocking him back a bit.

The drake began to thrash about as the waters slowed, unaware of the conveyors that began moving, turning in the direction of the misfits with low growls rumbling in his chest and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

Eäriel slightly perked up as a small projectile was thrown at the beast and caused a bright flash of blue to show when it hit the side of the drake, shortly followed by more projectiles that hit him, yet his gaze was set as he got closer to Thorin. She looked up as two or so conveyor belts were dropped down onto the drake, causing him to release a loud roar of anger as he stumbled from the force of the rocks contained in the crates of the conveyors, and began thrashing about wildly only to become entangled in the chains.

"Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings!" Thorin called.

"Bilbo, grab onto me!" Eäriel barked as one of the metal crates of the swinging conveyor belts nearly hit them both and instead hit the top of the mound they stood on, holding fast to the hobbit as the foundation began wobbling uneasily beneath them, and dashed off of their small stoop to take form as an eagle just as Smaug crashed into their mound.

Bilbo gave a brief yelp of fear as he clung to the transformed elleth's feet, before they both hit the floor of the forges and he bounced off to land on his side, coughing slightly and getting to his feet as she had changed back and shook her head of dizziness. "Eäriel, are you all right?" He asked, receiving a nod from the she-elf.

"Both of you keep going!" Thorin shouted from his place riding the current the liquefied gold went in a borrowed crate.

Eäriel looked about and gave a slight gasp at seeing Smaug's yellow eyes had fallen on them, and she hurriedly scrambled to her feet. "Come on, Bilbo!" She declared as she grabbed his sleeve and led the way to the gallery at a sprint. "Hang on!" She yelped as they were running right for a steep drop, to which Bilbo latched onto her and they both dropped and slid down the long chute, and loud crashing sounded behind them as Smaug followed their leave at a dangerously close pace. Even as Bilbo was tripping every so often as he looked back now and then at the drake, Eäriel held fast to his hand and ran on so they both could escape, and gave a relieved sigh as they dashed into a spacious hall adorned with banners on either side of the large room. Her relief was short lived though, as the wall behind them exploded then as the banners fell with Smaug's entrance and soon both misfits were caught under one of the felled banners.

" _ **You thought you could deceive me, barrel-rider**!_ " Rumbled the drake from above; Bilbo lifted one of the edges of the banner so both he and Eäriel could peek from their hiding place. " _ **You've come from Laketown; there is some sordid scheme, hatched between those filthy dwarves and the miserable tub-trading Lakemen**! **Those sniveling cowards with their long bows, a-and their Black Arrows**!_ " The lone female could hear his ire slipping into his words, if the slight stammer was any indication. " _ **Perhaps I'll pay them a visit**!_"

"No…!" Eäriel hissed as she immediately thought of Bard and his family, and Legolas and Tauriel… She lifted the flap so both she and Bilbo could slip out with the hobbit in the lead as both chased the drake that strode towards the sealed doors of the kingdom.

Bilbo cried, " _Wait!_ You _cannot_ go to Laketown!" He came to an abrupt halt as seconds later he came face-to-face with a set of yellow slits that gleamed coldly. A tremble went down his spine before the willowy body of his friend appeared and stood before him as a means of protection.

" _ **You care for them, do you** …?_" The beast trailed off to look on the elven woman that stood before him, and his teeth gleamed as he sneered at the defiant and protective glare on her beautiful face. " _ **I thought I smelled something different, something that was not dwarf or… barrel-rider**! **Strange to see elves among dwarves; that wretch, Oakenshield, his scent reeks off you. Well, barrel-rider, you can watch those Lakemen die, but this lovestruck she-elf dies first**!_" A snarl rumbled from the dragon as he reared his head back to soon snap her in two.

" _Oi, you witless worm!_ " A yell sounded from behind, making the beast freeze and relief to fill both misfits as they recognized the owner of that voice. Thorin stood atop the large stone molding of a massive statue with a chain on hand, glowering at the drake that rounded on him with rage in his eyes, his temper flared at seeing the beast mere inches from killing his elf. "I am taking back what you stole!" He growled out.

" ** _You'll take nothing from me, dwarf_**." Smaug snarled coldly, his attention focused on the dwarf king so both misfits vacated the floor to take refuge behind one of the large pillars on the side to watch the exchange in safety, " _ **I laid low your warriors of old, I instilled terror in the hearts of men… I am King Under the Mountain**_." He reared up again to glower at the dwarf.

A defiant smirk sought to show itself on his bearded face, "This is not your kingdom; these are _dwarf lands_ , this is _dwarf gold!_ …And we will have _our **revenge**_." He then commanded for the mold to fall off the statue as he yanked on the chain, clinging to it as the mold gave way.

A massive statue of King Thrór was revealed, made entirely of gold, causing Smaug to marvel at the statue with greed glittering brightly in his yellow eyes. Though the statue's solidity didn't last for much longer as the space between the eyes then exploded, and soon the statue fell apart with a wave of hot liquefied gold converging on the enraged drake, washing the floor with gold and drowning the drake with it.

Eäriel frowned slightly as she recognized something was off.

 _Surely hot gold wouldn't be the demise of that beast_ …

The surface of the golden floor then burst with the drake's resurface, causing the hobbit and elleth to jump in surprise, as the drake gave an enraged roar. " _ **' Revenge'! Revenge! I'll show you revenge**!_" Smaug bellowed as he barreled right for the sealed doors.

" _NO!_ " Eäriel shouted as she broke away from the pillar to follow the drake's leave at top speed, dropping back and shielding her eyes when rubble and debris flew with his burst through the doors, watching as Smaug took to the skies and twirled once in the air to rid his scales of residual gold before he flew in the direction of Laketown.

Bilbo had followed her lead out of the kingdom and dropped onto his knees by one of the larger chunks of rubble, watching with horror as the dragon flew towards the lonely little town. "What have we done?" He breathed.

* * *

 _ **an** : okay! so i finally got around to finishing this chap, and holy crap was it long. no pun intended; i'm very happy this is finished though, so you guys know what comes next. also, how've you guys been? sorry for the delay, i've been busy with life and now school too... anyway, you know the drill i hope! lates~._


	15. Broken Crown

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* * *

"Take only what is needed; there's a long march ahead of us!" Called the bargeman as he passed between the survivors that were gathering their belongings.

"Where will you go?" He looked to him.

He paused and looked to the noticeable landmark across the water, "there is only one place."

"We can take refuge inside the Mountain! …You are a genius, sire." The black-clad leech said. "We'll have shelter and a bit of gold to boot…"

"What gold that's in that mountain is cursed." The bargeman cut across him, "we take only what was promised, enough to rebuild our lives." He handed off a bundle of firewood to the other man.

The blonde's seemingly-blasé expression twitched with the urge to curl his lip; he almost pitied the race of Men… He looked to the bargeman again, "Others will look to the Mountain, now that the news of the dragon's death will have spread. They will look to it for its wealth, position." His striking blue stare tightened at the thought.

Bard frowned in curiosity mixed with confusion, "What is it that you know?" He asked.

"Nothing for sure, except what I fear might come." Legolas replied pensively, looking to the solitary peak as his thoughts briefly drifted to a certain she-elf; no doubt she was already aware of the dragon's death… There was little that passed her keen sight.

 **|} x {|**

A shallow half-sigh escaped her.

' _He hasn't eaten or slept, and it's been nearly a week._ '

Why did this not surprise her?

Celebrations had been put on hold after Smaug's demise the very night they had accidentally set him loose upon Esgaroth, and while it was a good thing because they needed a bit of a break before anything else should happen, it was also a bad thing.

Thorin was not himself in the simplest sense of the word; sure he had rested for a few hours after their harrowing escapade and successful reclamation of Erebor, but that was all he had allotted for himself before he set about wandering the halls, reminiscing on his childhood home no doubt… At least that is what his kinsmen were led to believe, anyway.

She knew him better than to believe that farce.

It was already the sixth day since their reclamation and she felt it was her duty to see he was all right; he had wandered again to the treasure hoard hours before dawn, and when Bombur prepared breakfast for them, she had forgone her meal to instead take her bowl of stew to where their leader had gone.

"Stew's getting cold." She made herself known when locating him exactly where she believed he had gone, looking to the dwarf king as he stood amongst a few low-risen mounds of gems and gold, lifting the bowl of food when a brief look of confusion fell on his face.

He shook his head slightly, lifting up a large amethyst from amidst the gold on one pile. "I've said it before, I'm not hungry." He declined.

"It's been nearly a week, Thorin…" She exhaled slightly, stepping away from the base of the stairwell to approach him. "Got to keep your strength up, don't you?" Not that she believed he lacked in strength, because gods knew he didn't.

Thorin looked to the bowl to the patient expression on her lovely face, his gaze seeming less clouded than it had appeared of late… He exhaled. "You are the most stubborn elf I've ever met." He mused as he took the bowl from her hand, stepping away to eat.

Pleased that he at least listened to her reasoning, Eäriel smiled privately before she looked from the gold around them to the stone pillars and took note of the emerald hue the thick stone had as the light from the gold bounced off the surface. "I've never seen stone this color before, let alone a kingdom so beautiful… I've only heard it said that Erebor was grand, both inside and out." She thought aloud, giving a soft exhale in amazement as her eyes lifted from the pillars to look upward at the darkened echelons above.

"You would have loved it, in better days." Thorin said as he finished the stew, for a moment taking note of the amazed light in her blue eyes, to which his own eyes softened as they did when he looked on his elf. "You will love it in the future, I imagine… As queen." He added thoughtfully.

Eäriel's ears twitched at the word and she looked at him in surprise, blinking once before she cleared her throat to swallow the shock, running a hand through her hair. " _'Queen'_ … Thorin, I-um, do you think that wise, to have a she-elf sit on the throne of Erebor?" Her as queen? She once again wondered just how serious this gold-sickness truly was if he was claiming her as queen so soon… An elf as Queen of one of the greatest dwarf kingdoms in all of Middle-Earth?

Thorin raised a brow at her overall surprised expression that remained despite her urge to brush it away, and a small smile fell on his bearded face. "I have never been more sure of anything, in all my life… It would suit you well, and that way I can give you what you always sought: peace between our peoples." He said as he approached her, watching surprise fall away for a sense of recognition to show in her piercing eyes, and he took her hand in his. " _Amrâlimê_." He murmured.

Eäriel shivered down to her boots at recognizing this was a completely mad idea, but at the same time, it made sense. She inhaled and met his imploring stare, her heart flip-flopping at seeing such love for her present in his stormy irises; _oh Valar_ … "My king." She murmured, slowly smiling back.

He smiled, one of those genuine smiles that made her heart flutter, and exhaled in relief. "I have something for you; close your eyes." He requested, watching her lift a brow in curiosity, and he huffed slightly, "Just do it."

She chuckled slightly despite obeying, closing her eyes as she soon felt him lift a few thick locks of her hair on the left side, her ears reddening as she knew what it was he was doing even without knowing his intentions.

"Open your eyes." He murmured as he had finished clipping the braid with the bead he had kept for the last few days, watching her open her eyes and then look from him to the braid he had woven into her hair.

She looked at the bead and her eyes slightly widened as she looked on the square bead colored slate with an arrow etched into the front, her cheeks reddening slightly. "Thorin, it's beautiful…" She looked at him and at the proud gleam in his stormy blue orbs, she smiled warmly.

Thorin smiled in the same manner, "Eäriel…"

"Thorin!" Both dwarf and elf looked to the stairwell as Dwalin appeared, the lattermost adding, "Balin, Bilbo and I have been waiting in the throne room for you."

Eäriel smiled wryly as she drew away from him, "well I suppose I'll leave you to it, gentlemen…"

"This concerns _you_ as well, my dear lady." Thorin cut across her with a bit of patience.

"I…" Eäriel exhaled slightly, gesturing to the stairs, "lead the way, my king."

 **|} x {|**

"I want this fortress made safe by sunrise; it was hard-won, and I wouldn't see it taken again!"

The twins shared a look of slight exasperation at his words. "The people of Laketown have nothing; they came to us in need… They have lost _everything_ , Thorin." Elrohir said as both elves looked to the dwarf king.

"Do not tell _me_ what they've lost, for I know much of _that_ hardship!" Thorin returned sharply, scowling at the twins before he looked away to the ruins of Dale beyond the kingdom's gates, "Those who've lived through dragonfire should _rejoice_ … They have much to be glad for." He finished.

Elladan opened his mouth to snap back before the slender hand of his sister seized his shoulder, and they shared a brief look as Thorin commanded that more stone be brought to fortify the gate.

"If it's all the same to you, I will keep watch over the gate, for old times' sake." Eäriel offered patiently as she stepped up to the dwarf king as he drew away from the gate to hand another large chunk of stone to Glóin. She met his slightly surprised stare and added with a quick smile, "It's the least I can do."

Thorin nodded without a second's hesitation, "Report to me should you see anything." He amended, receiving a returning nod from her.

The rest of the night passed along, and within a few hours the wall was completed, leaving the dwarves to at last get some rest before the morning would come; the twins looked to their sister as she lingered behind before they too left to give her time to do her duty.

Eäriel looked to the stars up above that were stubbornly and slowly receding to the west with the oncoming dawn's charge, running her fingers along the thick braid woven into her hair she had partially braided back, and smiling briefly as her fingertips touched the bead. A half-sigh escaped her nostrils as she thought of how things had changed so suddenly.

She knew he wished to court her, and it was not like she minded that because it would mean that they could know each other as more than friends, but at the same time… it was just too fast. Courting and then marriage right after… and her as queen! Gods she was still trying to comprehend that concept!

"Eru help me." She muttered as she flexed her grasp on Hathelas' hilt as it sat in her lap, looking up at the sky as dawn's gray-blue wave was already reaching past the small rough valley between Erebor and Dale and was lightly touching on the highest points of the ruined city… She watched as the minutes passed before noticing the sunlight catching on little metallic points in the alcoves of the city's outer wall facing the dwarf kingdom. She straightened to her feet and squinted slightly as the light slowly revealed the silhouettes of lanky beings standing at the ready in the alcoves…

She just knew this would happen.

* * *

 _ **an** : hey guys, sorry for the prolonged update! hope you guys are doing okay... so this is a prologue of sorts for the third and final leg of CK&L, and if anyone is wondering why this chapter is incredibly short compared to the recent chaps it's because English Comp has sort of drained me of writing spirit for the last few weeks. but fret not, for the next few chaps will be interesting! so i hope you guys know the drill, if i even deserve that much.. lates. _


	16. Can You Feel the Thunder?

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* * *

"Thranduil!"

Thorin looked up alertly at the name as Glóin also stopped counting near him to look at the open doors, right as their she-elf skidded to a halt just feet from having rushed into the counting room. "So they've come…" He mused blandly.

Eäriel nodded, slightly jerking a thumb over her shoulder, "They're at least one thousand strong, what should we do?" She would be damned if they had come because of her.

"Gather the others," Thorin nodded to the redhead dwarf who shortly left to do as told, motioning to the elleth, "Come." He then led the way out of the room with Eäriel following at a slight jog.

Once the others were informed of the newest dilemma, they gathered on the gate overlooking the valley, just as a rider astride a white horse came across the small bridge leading out of Dale and onto the valley. Upon a second look, the trio of elves recognized the rider as Bard.

"Hail, Thorin son of Thráin; we are glad to find you and your company alive!" Bard called as he brought his steed to a halt, looking up to the dwarf king on the gate and noticing the trio of elves briefly glanced over at their leader before their gazes fell on him below.

Thorin returned coolly, "Why've you come to the gates of the King Under the Mountain with an _army_ at the ready?"

"Why does the revered king _close himself in_ his castle's walls, like a _robber_ with his gold?" Bard quipped with a pointed edge in his coarse voice.

"Perhaps it's because I am _expecting_ to have my _treasure stolen!_ " Thorin snapped icily.

Bard looked up at the elves for a second to see the lone woman look over at their leader with a measure of concern in her eye, before he chose to resist the urge to indulge the king in his barbs. "Milord, we haven't come to rob you, but to seek a middle ground; would you not humor me?" He requested patiently, watching a thoughtfulness enter the king's darkened eyes before he was received with a nod of his bearded chin to come forward; he dismounted his white horse to step up to the makeshift wall of rubble, looking up again for a moment as a raven's caw sounded and the black messenger took off in the direction of northeast.

Bilbo looked from the dwarves to the trio of elves, and was not surprised when the lattermost shared a brief glance amongst each other, before he folded his arms and watched Thorin descend the gate via the small stairwell to speak with Bard.

This didn't look good no matter how he looked at it.

It did not take an elf's sharp hearing to know the exchange of words between Bard and Thorin was anything but collected, and the concerned light in her eyes only intensified as Bard's questioning of Thorin's honor was met with silence from the dwarf king.

Thorin looked to his companions, his kinsmen and friends, for a moment that may as well have been minutes before he spoke to the man on the other side of the thick wall, " _Be gone_ … lest we fire upon you!" He rumbled coldly.

Bard drew away from the wall with a frustrated punch to the stone wall, and he started to return to his horse before a thought struck him; he turned back to the gate. "May I have a moment to speak with Lady Eäriel?" He asked clearly.

Thorin stiffened in place as all eyes fell on the she-elf and he slowly looked to her as she gave a slight nod to him. "You should not humor him…" He started to say.

"I can decide for my own, my king." Eäriel interrupted patiently, stepping up to the gate and clapping a gentle hand on his shoulder before she added, "I won't be long." She afforded a quick smile for him before ascending the stairs at a trot and then nimbly hopping over the gate lip once she reached the top.

Bard stepped back a little when the she-elf dropped to the snow-covered stone before him with sharpened reflexes, and he wasted no time. "Eäriel, you must try to reason with him. I believe he will not listen to anyone else but you…" He said.

"Bard, I have known Thorin for nearly a century, and I know that he is still in there… I believe he will see reason soon. But I know your plight is not the only reason you have come here." Eäriel interrupted with a slight sigh, and she briefly glanced behind him at the ruins of Dale where she could still see her kinsmen's bronze armor winking daylight off the surface. She frowned for a moment before exhaling, "the children, are they well?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, that is another reason I asked to speak with you; thank you for sending your friends to help us. I feared we would not have made it out alive had we not had those elves to help us flee Laketown… but I do not apologize for what I have asked of your king, and unfortunately I cannot say the same for Lord Thranduil. He spoke of heirlooms that lie within the treasure hoard…?" He glanced back at Dale.

Eäriel grumbled a curse, "That narcissistic son of an orc… The Gems of Lasgalen, yes. They are heirlooms that supposedly were a wedding gift to the late Lady of Greenwood the Great, and were kept within the treasure hoard of Erebor's halls. My father once said they were as bright as starlight… If that is his true reason to have dragged his host from within Mirkwood then I fear for what members of my kindred remain there." She exhaled wearily and resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose, looking at Bard again as their eyes met and she added, "I do not know if he will listen to reason just yet, but I can try to speak with Thorin."

Bard nodded slightly as a measure of relief brightened his brown eyes, "Thank you, and best of luck." He smiled briefly before turning away to remount his steed.

Eäriel said as he began to leave, "Best of luck to you as well, Bard." She gave a slight nod that he received before watching him return to Dale, and she in turn trotted back to ascend the wall with ease. Within a few minutes she placed a hand on the lip of the gate and started to put the other there before a hand caught hers, and she looked up to see it was Elrohir that helped her up; she smiled at him and nodded, letting him help her over the gate lip. "Thank you, _muindor_ …"

"He demanded that you _join them_ , didn't he?" Thorin demanded before she could get the rest of her sentence out as he strode up to her while she dusted snow from her vest and trousers.

"Even if he had, you know I would pleasantly decline. Besides, it is not _you_ he was speaking of, per se, it was of _his people_. He only asks that you consider approaching this… _issue_ , peaceably." Eäriel replied patiently, watching a hint of thoughtfulness appear in his darkened blue orbs, and she added, "You still trust me, do you not?"

Thorin looked away and past the gate to the ruins beyond them. "With all my being…" He grumbled, turning to his nephew nearest him, "Give the order." He instructed.

Fili nodded before he called to the others, " _Now!_ "

With a collective grunt of exertion, Dwalin, Oín, Bombur and Bifur then yanked down on the long and thick levers that served to send two large piles of stone down below; a loud clattering sounded then as the bridge below was destroyed and its remains dropped into the small mote beneath the kingdom.

"Was that _necessary?_ " Elladan demanded as he turned to the dwarf king.

"Forgive me, Master Elf, but it was _necessary_ unless you wished to be _killed in your sleep_ by _those who oppose us!_ " Thorin snapped briskly, watching the younger ellon's eyes flash in irritation before sharply turning his gaze away.

" _Enough_ , both of you." Eäriel ordered as she shot a look between her brothers and her king, knowing the twins were just as weary of the dwarf's thickheaded pride as she, and as much as she agreed with them, she also had to put into perspective that Thorin was not in his right frame of mind at the moment.

And she prayed to every god she knew that he would return to his old self very soon, before the end would come.

"You _cannot_ go to war, Thorin!" Bilbo spoke up from behind the others, reminding the elves that they weren't the only ones who were just as weary of their leader's behavior.

Thorin replied blandly over his shoulder as he looked at the ruins beyond them, "This doesn't _concern_ you, Mr. Baggins…"

"I'm sorry, but there is an _army of elves_ out there; at least a thousand if I were to wager, as well as several hundred angry fishermen! …We are _outnumbered_ , here." Bilbo shook his head in disbelief.

"Not for much longer." Thorin stated calmly as he turned to face him, and when he received a confused look from the halfling, he added confidently, "You should never _underestimate_ dwarves, my friend." He smirked wryly before stepping around him to then state at large, "We've reclaimed Erebor, and now all that is left to defend it."

Eäriel looked to her siblings as the king made to leave, and she exhaled, "Boys…"

"Would you not join me, _my queen?_ " Thorin beckoned over his shoulder, not seeing her slight wince at the pronoun, and he shortly heard her softer feet follow him down the stairs. "We must prepare for what will come with the next sunrise…" He began to say once they were on the ground floor and he led the way to another stairwell that would lead up to the higher echelons where the armory was.

"Do you still trust me?" Eäriel asked quietly as they ascended the stairs, looking up at him as he paused two steps above her as she had also stopped. "You've been behaving differently, ever since that night Smaug was awakened, Thorin… You don't smile as you used to, you don't speak very much unless it deals with finding the Arkenstone…"

"I trust you with my life, you know this." Thorin interrupted knowingly, watching her mouth close and her lips slightly purse at his interruption, before he turned to face her as her eyes glanced away and he lifted a hand to stroke her cheek, their eyes meeting on the same level with worry darkening her paler blue irises. "I am doing this for us, for the others… for _you_. I only wish to show you that I can bestow happiness to you, because I care too much for you to see you disheartened as you were before… I told you before and I will repeat it no matter how many times I must say it: I will _not_ let them take you away from me… Not you, my beautiful queen." He promised quietly, noting the slightest quiver in her lips as she dropped her gaze to his coat's fur lining as if she took interest in it, and he traced his fingers along her skin, " _Amrâlimê_."

Eäriel exhaled steadily and nodded her head, her skin tingling at his touch as she placed a hand over his, and she met his eyes with a trusting smile in place, "You are my king, you know I would follow you wherever you should go… I am sorry for speaking out of line." Valar this was becoming difficult… Why was she being tortured so? Despite the fact that she had more than enough rights to yell at him and shake him out of this descent into madness, she knew above all that she had to approach this carefully.

Thorin was still in there… He was still her majestic king, he was still noble and strong and warm… He just had to be.

Thorin smiled warmly on her and leaned up a bit to kiss her forehead, his fingers tracing along the braid he had woven into her hair only days ago.

 **|} x {|**

"Should we bow the knee the next time he calls you ' _my queen'?_ " Elladan wondered blandly as he was sharpening his sword's blade with a whetstone, looking up at their sister.

Eäriel gave him a look from polishing her knives. " _You_ could try to be a bit more understanding."

"We _are_ trying, but it's not easy dealing with someone so clot-headed… I still can't fathom how you've managed to live with them for so long." Elrohir exhaled, nocking an invisible arrow in his bow and letting it fly, before he looked at her.

"If you honestly want to leave for home, then go. I am not stopping you, and this is my problem in the first place…" Eäriel groaned, scowling at both of her brothers.

"This doesn't concern just you anymore, though, does it? This concerns _everyone_. We wouldn't be honoring our father if we left your side now when you will need our help, _muinthel_." Elrohir reminded as he stepped up to her to clap a hand on her shoulder, feeling her stiffen slightly at his words, and he exhaled slightly. "Besides, your king will need all the help he can get if we are to pose a threat against Lord Thranduil." He added.

Eäriel paused before she slowly nodded, slightly smirking up at him. "I only wish this would be easier, that maybe he would be in his right mind…" She looked down at the knives she had polished and gave a weary exhale.

"Master Baggins!" Elladan said then, making both of his siblings look to see said halfling poke his head from around a nearby pillar as he seemed to have come from where the armory was.

"Oh-um, hello all! I was wondering where you'd gone to…" Bilbo greeted with a slightly nervous hand, making the trio raise a brow at his state he tried to hide from their keen sight, and he cleared his throat, "Actually, I meant to ask you something, in particular, Eäriel." He said as he looked to the elleth.

Eäriel caught the rather anxious light in his brown eyes and nodded, "Yes, right, coming!" She smiled at her brothers before stepping away from their company to usher the hobbit with her back in the direction of the armory. "You do know elf eyes see all." She commented quietly.

"Of course I know…" Bilbo remarked, looking back at their wake before he looked up at her as they stopped just shy of the armory, "I just needed to ask you something." He said with a slight shuffling of his furry feet.

Eäriel smiled a little at his hesitance, sitting down on a nearby bench. "What is it, my friend?"

"Do you think it wise, if Thorin found the Arkenstone?" The hobbit exhaled slightly, watching her eyes darken a bit at the thought.

"If he were in his right mind, yes…" Eäriel sighed, glancing away before she noted the anxiety still present in her friend as he fidgeted in place, and she asked, "You're hiding something, aren't you?" She lowered her voice a little after glancing about.

Bilbo fidgeted again before looking around them, and he gave a small nod. "Elf eyes do see all, even this…" He mumbled as he reached inside his coat and withdrew an oval-shaped item wrapped in maroon cloth, unwrapping it to reveal what he had been hiding for the last several days.

Eäriel's eyes widened in surprise as she beheld the Arkenstone in all its shining glory, before she murmured, "I knew you succeeded after all…" She reached to cover it with his hand, blue holding brown as she added, "But you mustn't show it to him. I know you wish to, but in his current state… He wouldn't like that you've withheld this from him, Bilbo." She added with a warning tone in her quieted voice before letting him retrieve his hands.

"I know, Balin told me the same thing…" Bilbo nodded slightly as he stowed it away in his coat. "If I give it to Bard and the elves, maybe we can avoid a war altogether. I mean, I know you and your brothers are willing to fight with the Company, but I would like to think I know when you don't agree with something, Eäriel." He slightly sniffed as if silently daring her to prove him wrong with his observations.

Eäriel's face softened even as a guilty light shone in her stare, and she smiled at him. "You do have keen eyes after all, Bilbo… And I must admit that if I were you, I would do what you are going to do; it's rather foolish, but it's brave, and nobly done." She nodded.

She hoped beyond hope that this might actually work.

 **|} x {|**

The tension that greeted them was dense and all-but electric.

Rows upon rows of bronze-mailed elves stood at the ready feet before the gates of Erebor, those in the middle parting for their king who rode up to the front astride his battle-elk with the leader of the survivors of Esgaroth at his side astride his white horse.

Nocking an arrow, Thorin let it fly from his bow to strike the stone where the elk's front right hoof was to go, causing both leaders to stop and look up at the former and his company that stood along the gate. "I'll put the next one between your eyes!" Rumbled the dwarf king, earning several jeers from the dwarves, whereas the trio of elves looked on the scene with stony eyes.

Thranduil's lip curled before he gave a brief gesture, not even bothering to look at his host as they simultaneously shifted to nock and aim up at the dwarves, who ducked the would-be barrage… All but one, anyway. With a second gesture, his host lowered their respective bows and arrows, yet his piercing eyes never strayed from the dwarf king. "We've come to inform you that payment of your debt has been offered… And happily accepted!" He said calmly.

The twins shared a look as their sister's lips pursed; "What _'payment'?_ I gave you _nothing_ , therefore you _have_ _nothing!_ " Thorin scoffed dubiously.

"Is that so; we have _this!_ " Bard spoke up as he withdrew the shining stone from his coat's folds, watching horror and shock fill the Company.

"The Arkenstone…" Fili breathed in shock from his place at Thorin's right.

At Thorin's left, Kili cried, "Thieves! How did you come by our house's heirloom?"

"That stone belongs to the King!" Fili agreed quickly.

Bard huffed, "the King may have it… but he must first _honor_ his word!" He said pointedly.

Thorin shook out of the horror as he grumbled, "this is a _ruse_ … A bloody _lie_. The Arkenstone is in this Mountain; it is nothing but a _trick…!_ " He claimed.

"It's no trick." The small voice of their hobbit called from the left side of the gate, causing fifteen sets of eyes to look to him as he continued while coming closer into the light, "the stone is real… I gave it to them. I took it as my fourteenth share."

Thorin's voice was dangerously quiet as he asked, " _You_ stole from me?"

"' _Steal_ ' from you, no! I might be a burglar, but I like to think I'm honest about it… I'm willing to let it stand against my claim." Bilbo shuffled slightly in place, briefly looking past Thorin to the elves as they stood near Fili, and to the odd paling in Eäriel's face as her eyes were looking between he and Thorin with worry.

"' _Against your claim'!_ " Thorin gave a humorless chuckle, adding coldly, "You've no claim on me, you _miserable rat!_ " He dropped the bow to stride up to the hobbit.

"Thorin!" Eäriel snapped in warning, being held back by Fili's grab for her sleeve as she had attempted to stop his uncle.

"I was going to give it to you… Many times I wanted to give it to you, but…" Bilbo trailed off as he saw the alarm in the lone female's eyes that looked over the king's head to him, silently pleading for him to run while he still could.

" _'But'_ what, _thief?_ " Thorin growled out.

"You are changed, Thorin. The dwarf I met in Bag End would never go back on his word, nor doubt the loyalty of his family, or suspect things of the only woman who loves you, for that matter!" Bilbo stated firmly.

Thorin clipped out, " _don't_ _you_ _dare_ speak to me of _ **loyalty**!_ _Throw him from the ramparts!_ " He ordered loudly, turning to his comrades and the elves to find not a one would budge as an overall look of horror adorned their faces; he turned to his older nephew nearby, "do as I say!" He snapped as he tried to yank him forward, only for the blonde to shirk away with hurt in his blue eyes. He shook his head, "I'll do it myself! Curse you!" He shouted as he grabbed the hobbit's scruff and yanked him towards the gate lip, "Cursed be the wizard that forced you on us!"

" _No!_ " Eäriel cried as she broke away to try and break them apart, grabbing onto his right arm only to grimace when Thorin sharply elbowed her ribs and punted her away so she stumbled back.

" _If you don't want my burglar, then don't hurt him; return him to me!_ " A booming voice sounded from below, causing everyone to freeze just as Thorin was about to throw Bilbo over the edge, as all eyes fell on the grey-clad Istari that strode up to the front of the host.

" **Gandalf**!" The twins said in relief.

Gandalf looked on the shocked face of the dwarf king, and he huffed as he said, "You're not making a very splendid figure as King Under the Mountain, _are you_ , Thorin son of Thráin?"

Bilbo was relieved when Thorin let him slip away, shuffling to Bofur and Fili's side as they ushered him to where he had left the rope he'd tied the night before; he tried to look back at Eäriel before he was then urged to flee, and he grabbed hold of the rope to begin his descent down.

"Do we have a deal, then; the Arkenstone for what was promised!" Bard called up to the dwarves.

Thorin hesitated as he looked to the northeastern incline that led to the valley, finding nothing much to his chagrin, and he paced rather nervously as he kept shooting looks to the incline. "And _why_ should I _buy back_ that which belongs to _me_ , to my forebears?" He demanded.

Thranduil scoffed aloud, "Keep the stone and sell it! Ecthelian of Gondor will pay you handsomely for it." He said to Bard.

"I will kill you, I swear I will!" Thorin snarled at him.

"Your oath means _nothing!_ " Thranduil fired back. "I've heard enough!" He motioned to his archers to ready their arrows to fire on his command, as the entirety of the elven host trained their arrows at those standing on the gate.

"Thorin, come on!" Elrohir declared as everyone looked to him with anxiety.

"Lay down your arms, Thorin; this treasure will be the death of you!" Gandalf chimed from below.

Balin approached his leader, "Thorin, we _can't_ win this fight!"

Eäriel swallowed as she at last looked away from her kinsmen below to her king, "Thorin, you know I would follow you into the heart of battle, but for the love of Eru, please reconsider! Think of your nephews, and the others! Don't do this, _Thorin_ …" She pleaded as she looked at him imploringly.

"Give us your answer! Will you have peace… or war?" Bard asked again.

A caw sounded just then, causing Thorin's lowered gaze to lift and see the raven had returned and perched itself on the gate next to him, giving a slight chirp when their eyes met. "I will have _war!_ " Rumbled the dwarf king.

* * *

 _ **an** : okay, so i didn't really say it per se, but i did put more drama into this! there's something.. lol anyway, hope you guys liked this chapter better than the last, because it's going to get better come next chapter. and with that, i'll leave you to enjoy this chap; lates! _


	17. Hey Young Blood

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All eyes fell on the host that slowly bled down from the northeastern incline, sunlight glinting off of their silver-hued mail as they moved as one, with one dwarf lord in particular that led the charge astride a large boar.

"He didn't." Elrohir muttered in slight disbelief.

"But he did." Elladan grumbled exasperatedly.

"Lord Dáin." Eäriel mumbled with an exhale showing both exasperation and relief when she recognized the redhead dwarf lord in the lead with war chariots stationed behind him as the host came to a halt, while Thranduil ordered his men face in the direction the dwarven host came.

"Ironfoot has come!" Bofur cheered alongside his kinsmen when Dáin greeted his cousin.

Bringing his steed to a halt, Dáin greeted the opposing host which consisted of elves as well as a few hundred men, "Good mornin', how are we all? I've got a wee proposition for ya, if I could take a few moments of your time. Would ya _consider_ … _just. **sodding**. **off**!?_ Right now, all of ya!" Dáin crowed, making the men slightly jump before they were ordered to keep their positions.

"Come now, Lord Dáin!" Gandalf spoke up as he stepped forward, giving a slight and respective bow to the dwarf lord when he was acknowledged.

"Tell this lot to leave, or I'll water the ground with their blood!" Dáin ordered, causing some to flinch at the thought (Bilbo being one of them).

Gandalf ignored his ire, "there's no need for war between dwarves, men and elves! A legion of orcs marches on the Mountain, so have your men stand down." He said.

"I won't stand down before any elf, least of all for _that_ faithless woodland fairy! He wishes nothin' good for my people; if he chooses to stand between my kin and I… _I'll split his pretty skull open!_ See if he's still _smirking_ after _that!_ " Dáin snapped with a flippant gesturing of his hammer at the Elvenking in question, noting the slightest twitch in his beardless face at his words, as his kinsmen cheered on the gate.

"Let them come, we'll see how far they _get!_ " Thranduil drawled cattily.

Dáin called over his shoulder as he retreated to his host, "You think I give a damned dog for your threats, ya _pointy-eared princess!_ " Both Elladan and Elrohir gave a snort at his insult; Eäriel couldn't fight the smirk on her lips. "You heard 'em, lads; we're on! Let's give these bastards a good beating!" He called to his comrades.

Eäriel perked up slightly as a smaller host of ram-riding dwarves cantered to the front to meet the elves that were going to let their arrows fly at the dwarves, looking to Gandalf as he told Thranduil that this was madness, and it then dawned on her as the dwarves inched ever closer to the elves that it wasn't just greed that caused these two races to go to war.

It was pride… pride that she and Thorin exhibited, pride that would never let the other know they were in the wrong… Pride that would be the death of them all!

Elladan and Elrohir gaped as they watched the hail of arrows descend on the dwarves just as dozens of spinning spears shot up into the air to counter the arrows' descent, the spears knocking back and or felling dozens of the elves. Another barrage of arrows was sent streaking towards the dwarves before another countering round of spears took to the air and shot the arrows right out of the sky before leveling the numbers of the elves, as the ram-riding dwarves gained speed until the first brave ones jumped over the shield formation the elves drew up, most if not all of the rams trampling and hopping onto the others.

Eäriel flinched as both sides finally collided, her hands slightly shaking at her sides as she looked away, silently cursing her pride and that of Thorin's as it was their fault it had come to this.

A loud rumble sounded then as it shook the ground of the valley, causing those fighting and those on the gate to look to the source of the tremors that shook the earth. The rugged terrain of the northern incline burst open when a worm-like creature with four mouths shot out from the ground, before more rumbling sounded as another four worm-beasts shot out only to then recede into the darkness of their tunnels. And to make matters much more chaotic, hundreds upon hundreds orcs spilled out from the tunnels until the entire legion bled out onto the valley between the warring elves and dwarves and the ruins of Dale.

"I had a bad feeling about this…" Elladan muttered grimly as he flexed his grasp on his sword.

Elrohir looked to the elves that clustered into various groups as the dwarves ran to get back into formation per their lord's commanding call, and he asked at large, "The elves, will they not join them?"

"I'm going over the wall, who's coming with me?" Fili asked his companions.

"Yes!" Kili agreed excitedly.

"Stand down, _all of you!_ " Thorin commanded, causing looks of confusion to show on his kinsmen's faces, and he ignored Fili's exasperated question as he turned away from the fight to return to the inner halls of the kingdom.

"He can't be serious…" Elladan growled. "Eäriel!" He looked to his sister.

"They won't fight…" Elrohir said hollowly as he looked to their kin again to see they stood still whilst the dwarves continued their charge on the orcs.

This was all their fault… " _Do something_ …" Fists shaking at her sides, she strode closer to the gate lip and repeated her words, " ** _DO. SOMETHING_** _!_ " Eäriel shrieked to her kin below, knowing they understood her even if the dwarves didn't.

Just as the orcs descended on the dwarves who had put up a shield wall against their first onslaught, the elves of Mirkwood leapt over the dwarves' shields as lithe as deer, their curved swords singing as they cut down the orcs in their path.

"They're fighting together, like you wished for it to happen, Eäriel…!" Elladan said with a grin as he looked from the warring races below to his sister who had turned away and stepped away from them, "Eäriel?" His grin fell.

"We're not to go join them, then, are we?" Elrohir guessed as the dwarves still present on the gate looked to their she-elf. "We would surely be outnumbered…"

"I wouldn't sacrifice you two, _any_ of you, for my pride… This was my fault, after all." Eäriel said thickly, slightly shaking her head as she refused to look at her brothers, shuffling to leave the gate via the stairs.

" _Muinthel!_ " Elladan said, sharing a look with his twin before they followed her leave and found her seated on the bottom step of the stairs. He hopped down to approach her, placing a hand on her shoulder as she had bowed her head down. " _This isn't your fault, Eäriel_ …" He assured.

" _Yes it is!_ " Eäriel snapped in their tongue, scowling at his gray eyes with her own eyes slightly puffy. She looked away and hugged her knees, shaking her head. " _I'm sorry I dragged you into this, both of you_ …"

Elrohir gave a slightly exasperated sigh as he sat down at her free side and put his arm around her, distinctly hearing her sniff. " _We are family regardless of blood, and we will stay at your side through anything_." He reminded quietly, letting her hold onto him as Elladan gave a sigh.

 **|} x {|**

"Here." A familiar voice said as they placed a thick cloak on her shoulders.

Lifting her head as her fingers curled slightly in the fur lining, her blue eyes met the blue eyes of the prince, who was looking at her expectantly, with a smile threatening to show on his bearded face. She looked briefly at the layer he had draped over her shoulders to find it was a coat colored deep green with tan fur lining, before her eyes softened and she looked to him. "Thank you, Fili… Sorry I haven't been myself lately." She chuckled slightly before looking to him as he shuffled to sit with her.

"Bilbo and I found it, the other day, figured you must be cold in here, with winter and all… Noone's been themselves lately, so don't feel like you're the only one, Eäriel." Fili shrugged as he smiled wryly in response. He noticed she glanced down with another stroking of the fur lining and his brows crinkled a little as he asked, "You think things will go back to normal?"

"Dunno, but one can only hope, can't they?" Eäriel exhaled as she lifted a hand to run her fingers through her hair she had partially braided back, catching the frown threatening to make his smile fall away and she looked at him with a gentle nudge to his arm, "What's that for? You'll make that beard droop past your ankles if you keep frowning." She jested quietly, holding his blue stare that lifted to meet hers, her lips quirking up at the corners.

Fili smirked and looked away with a slight laugh, earning a quiet chuckle from his friend, and he glanced at her again when noting the slate bead in her hair. "So should I start considering you as my aunt now?" He teased with a returning nudge.

"As soon as Kili reaches six feet tall, yes," Eäriel rolled her eyes and smiled at him. She gave a shallow sigh and glanced away, tracing her fingers along her braid, "I believe he will return to his senses, that he'll be the same Thorin we know and love… He has to come back." _He just has to_ ; a wry huff escaped her as her slender fingers formed into a light fist.

Fili began to open his mouth and assure her when he noticed rather abrupt movement nearby, looking away as Kili shot to his feet and the twins who were seated near him also stood up; he looked past them to see a familiar dwarf emerging from the inner recesses of the kingdom to approach their congregated group.

Kili squared his shoulders before he took a step forward and then strode up to greet his uncle; Fili started to call him back when Elrohir placed a hand on his shoulder to still him, to which both friends looked to the two dwarves.

"I will not hide, not behind walls of stone, while others fight for us! It is _not_ in my blood, and _you know it isn't_ , Thorin!" Kili stated clearly, willing his furrowed brow to remain intimidating even though the inner child in him wanted nothing more than to embrace his uncle and cry into his robes, and he half-expected to be yelled at.

But Thorin surprised them all as he placed a gentle hand on his nephew's shoulder, regarding him with an apology in his stormy irises as he replied quietly, "No it isn't… We are sons of Durin, are we not? And the sons of Durin don't flee from a battle." A smile tentatively fell on his bearded face as he watched emotions swell and threaten to make his nephew's brown eyes misty with relief being the strongest emotion shown; he gently bumped foreheads with him and watched a wry smile form on his stubble-ridden face before they drew apart.

Elladan and Elrohir smiled a little at seeing the Thorin their sister held such faith in now returned to them, noticing the slightest tremble in her shoulders as she stood near with her eyes firmly set on the dwarf king.

"I have no right to ask this of you, any of you, but would you follow me… One last time?" Thorin asked carefully as he looked to each and every member of his rag-tag Company, hesitating for a second before receiving several nods as the dwarves slightly raised their weapons in agreement, looking to his elder nephew who smiled slowly at seeing he was his old self. He looked away from his nephew to the lone female as she stepped up to him donned in a green coat that made her already-bright pale blue eyes brighter if possible, and his heart did that flip-flop as well as clenched as he noted tears were threatening to form in her gaze that had fixated solely on him. "Eäriel, I…" He waited for her to yell at him, for her to say she was a fool to have ever believed that he was nothing if not a horrible man for what he had done of late…

A sharp ' _fwhack_ ' sounded, hollowly ringing in the air; the twelve dwarves and two elves flinched slightly at the sharpness of the blow, whereas their leader's head slightly cocked back from her slap.

Thorin started to gingerly touch his left temple where the noticeable handprint was, before she threw her arms around him and crushed him to her chest, causing him to stiffen slightly in her hold; he blinked a couple of times, silently wondering if this was actually real and he wasn't imagining things again.

"You dense-headed tosspot of a dwarf… I love you." Eäriel gave a breathy laugh as she knotted her fingers in his dark hair, squeezing him as he all-but crushed her to his chest and held fast.

By this time, the remainder of the Company had been ushered to a different room to give the couple their privacy, with Elladan and Elrohir urging them to keep quiet as they left the hall.

"I only hope that you can forgive me for what I have done and said of late… I should not have demanded that you be queen, it was not right, because I do care for you and I would not treat you like that ever again…" Thorin stated quietly as he reluctantly let her draw away in his arms, perking up as she stroked his cheek and he looked at her.

"If I stayed angry with you for things you've done, I would not be the woman I am, so believe me when I say that I will love you despite what you do or have done, _Mell nîn_." Eäriel chuckled softly as she traced her fingers along his scruff, smiling happily when he held her hand in his grasp and gave a squeeze. She pressed her forehead to his before withdrawing a small blue hair-tie from her left vambrance and gently took a few thick locks of his hair on the right side, watching his eyes soften as she wove a braid into his hair and tied it with the hair-tie, smiling warmly as she drew back a little to meet his gaze. "It's usually more casual among my people, but it can also mean the same as what you believe it means…" She blinked once when he leaned in to press his lips to hers, closing her eyes with a grin and inhaling momentarily as she reciprocated happily, curling her fingers in his hair and hearing a chuckle rumble in his chest as he held her close again.

Thorin hummed softly as he drew away reluctantly, giving a quiet sigh. "If we are to rush to our deaths today, then know that I love you and have loved you so, _Amrâlimê_." He knew she would protest to the thought of his death as much as he protested to her death, but he had to be true to her, didn't he?

"And I would happily fight at your side through any battle." Eäriel amended with a determined smile, before she kissed him chastely to then look to the inner recesses of the kingdom. "You lot can come out now!" She sang, looking to Thorin as they shared a chuckle.

 **|} x {|**

The loud blaring of a second horn resounded throughout the valley as it came from the outer edges of the gates of Erebor; Bilbo looked up at the noise, having stiffened in surprise while regaining his bearings, and for a moment he doubted it was even real before his heart leapt in his chest. "Thorin…" He murmured before a commotion erupted from the battlefield.

With a sharp flick of the catapult strapped to its back, the large gray war-beast was felled by its own machinery; Elrohir barked a laugh at the sight even as he chucked a knife at an orc that sought to kill Bifur from behind. "I don't think they trained these Moria filth to fight smart, did they, 'Dan?" He called to his twin nearby.

Elladan twisted out of the way of another orc's sharp lunge before he lashed out and cut it down with ease. "Apparently not, otherwise they'd be more of a challenge!" He replied with a scoff, looking to their sister as she sent another orc reeling from her sharp kick. " _Muinthel!_ " He said.

"Stay with the princes!" Eäriel reminded as she easily severed the orc's head from its body, nodding to her brothers before hearing a roar from another troll that lumbered not far from her while trying to squash a small cluster of iron-clad dwarves. She smirked ruefully at the opportunity and raced for the troll, her knives on hand as she hopped atop another orc in her way and nimbly leapt the small distance to land on the troll's flabby back and quickly scale its grayed flesh without letting the beast know she had leapt onto it. "Move!" She warned the dwarves below and around the troll as she brandished her knives and proceeded to ram the blades deep into the troll's skull, twisting them as the beast fell to the ground and landed with a resounding ' _thud_ '; she hopped off its nape with her bloodied knives at her sides, slightly shaking her head of dust.

A low snarl sounded from a burly orc that had sought to kill the she-elf before it froze in place, and when she looked at the beast, it fell forward to leave Thorin standing there with his sword on hand.

Eäriel pouted and said, "I could've handled it!" She watched him smirk at her words to which she grinned at, before her grin fell as she threw her right knife past him with a grunt of slight exertion, felling the smaller war-beast that had sought to kill him.

Thorin looked back at the now-dead beast with her knife protruding from its sternum handle-up, and he shook his head as he retrieved her knife to offer it back to its master as she came forward to take it. "Deadly as always." He huffed rather proudly, earning a soft look from his _Amrâlimê_ , before he spotted the head of red hair of his cousin who was fending off three tall orcs while he rode a fourth orc's back with his hammer brandished. "Dáin!" He called.

"Thorin, I'm coming!" Dáin called back between slamming his hammer down onto the orc he rode and hopped off its back to fell another orc, beginning to fell the third orc when a throwing knife streaked through the air to lodge itself in the third orc's throat and cause it to fall back. "Cousin! What took ya so long?" He said as he turned to greet the dark-haired dwarf, conking the first orc on its head when it twitched, and firmly embracing his cousin.

A loud snarl sounded from the tall orc that dropped back from the elleth's slash of her blades, lunging at the female before she rammed her blades into its chest, giving a vain guttural noise of pain at her fatal blow.

Eäriel roughly shoved off the dead orc and slightly panted, before she looked at the pale war-beast that lumbered past her, and did a double take as she recognized the hat-wearing dwarf that had somehow obtained a seat on the blinded beast's head. She chuckled at the sight as she partially blamed the adrenaline that battle brought out in her for feeling so alive. " _'Never underestimate dwarves_ ' indeed!" She huffed.

A sharp whistle sounded before she hopped out of the way of the war chariot that halted feet before her, and she blinked once before recognizing the six brothers astride the chariot with the six rams at the helm.

"It's now or never, lass!" Balin said at seeing the surprised look on the elleth's dirtied face as he, Dwalin, Fili, Kili and the twins looked at her.

Eäriel shook her head and gave a low chuckle before she hopped onto the chariot and situated herself alongside Elladan and Kili. "Crafty old sod!" She teased, reflexively grabbing onto the side of the chariot as Balin urged the rams forward to meet with Thorin and Dáin who were conversing not far from them.

Thorin looked back at those on the chariot and spotted his elleth's face between her brothers, and a confident grin threatened to fully show on his bearded face at the sight, before he faced forward astride the ram, "To Ravenhill!" And with that he led the charge.

"Hang on to something!" Elrohir called as they followed Thorin's lead right into the heart of their enemies' ranks, brandishing his sword as he mirrored Fili and Kili whereas his siblings had an arrow at the ready in their respective bows.

With Thorin at the helm, they barreled into their enemies' ranks, Dwalin firing off thick metal stakes from the chariot at the unfortunate orcs in their way, and Elladan got one arrow in a stray orc that had attempted to jump them from atop the rams' backs as the arrow lodged itself in the beast's skull and it fell off with ease as they followed their leader. "Watch out!" Kili called as they were headed right for four lumbering trolls that sought to beat them to a pulp with their clubs, only for Balin to steer the chariot to veer overhead of the trolls, their heads flying right from their necks when the sharp spokes on the chariot's tires decapitated them on the spot.

Eäriel perked up as a massive troll lunged at them from the front and she let her arrow fly right for the beast's eye, grumbling a curse as the fired projectile only angered the troll that chased them. "We've got company!" She called, yelping slightly when Balin steered the chariot to run along the frozen river that cut into the rough terrain and caused them to steady their footing, and looking at Dwalin as he and Kili loaded another round of stakes into the chariot's launcher.

A loud roar sounded behind them and made the seven look to see the troll jump into the ice only yards from them, shattering its fragile surface as it vainly scrambled to get at them.

" _Shoot it!_ " Dwalin shouted.

" _ **Where**!?_ " Kili and Elladan returned in chorus.

" _In its **jambags**!_ " Dwalin bellowed.

" _It doesn't_ _ **have**_ _any jambags; boys,_ _ **shoot**_ _!_ " Eäriel yelled as she let another arrow fly right for the troll's face so the arrowhead stuck in its bad eye and Elladan and Kili also let their respective arrows fly to hit the beast or bounce off its tough hide, and she swore. "Oh for Mahal's _sake…!_ "

"Hang on lads, I'm comin'!" Bofur yelled as he came charging in on the pale war-beast that headbutted the troll right in the neck.

" _Bofur you beauty!_ " Fili exclaimed with a grin as they cheered him on while continuing their charge.

Dwalin started firing off stakes at the next troll that supported a makeshift bridge for another coup of orcs when they went further downriver, the projectiles either missing or bouncing off the beast and its bridge.

"Dwalin, hold your fire!" Elrohir shouted when seeing he wasn't getting anywhere with his actions.

" _Oi you, you lumbering bastard!_ " Eäriel called tauntingly to the troll, an arrow at the ready before she gave the signal. When the troll turned to face them, the trio of archers let their arrows fly to pierce the beast's skull or opened maw, felling the troll and allowing for them to race across its fallen body over the gap in the ice to follow the dwarf king's lead.

A loud snarl sounded from ahead once they were clear of orcs, before they took note of the trio of warg scouts that raced towards them at top speed.

"Fire!" Elrohir commanded as he, Elladan, Eäriel and Kili let their respective arrows fly to cut down the beasts, before growls sounded from behind and made him look back to see another five were gaining on their tail. "Damn!" He swore as he twisted about and let another arrow fly to cut down one of the wargs, as Eäriel shortly followed suit and Kili and Elladan shortly after.

Kili grabbed onto Eäriel's coat as they slightly jumped when another of the rams was snatched by a stray warg, leaving them with three, and he looked behind them to see another few wargs were coming towards them, "there's more coming!" He shouted.

"We're pulling too much weight; we won't make it!" Dwalin said as he looked to his brother.

Balin's eyes hardened slightly before he nodded, "cut the tracers and ride them to Ravenhill!" He replied.

"Balin!" Elrohir looked at him in surprise.

Dwalin shook his head in disbelief, "no Balin…"

"My goat-riding days are over… Durin be with you, brother." Balin smiled at his younger brother.

"Eäriel, come on!" Fili called as he hopped onto the frame of the sled that connected to the rams, fending off another warg rider until they dropped back before he hopped onto one of the rams' backs.

Eäriel quickly embraced Balin and held tight, "Eru be with you, Balin!" She wished before she joined Fili astride his ram.

The twins hopped onto the second ram as Dwalin and Kili hopped onto the third and soon the six were off, as they followed the river until they met up with Thorin on the right-hand side of the riverbank.

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 _ **an** : so hopefully i didn't disappoint? or maybe i did? idk with you guys, it's kind of a downer not hearing much of a peep from anyone about this story... ah well, just ignore me. review or not, it's on you lot. lates._


	18. To Dust or To Gold

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Just as the burly orc lifted its hammer to swing down on his head, its body went rigid and not long after it fell forward so its face hit the frosted stone of the tower flat with a muffled ' _thud'_.

The dwarf looked at the felled ilk to see two arrows with matching blue feathers had found their mark in its thick skull, and a wry snuff passed his nostrils as he looked to see the fourth ram and its riders arrived shortly, catching her gaze for a brief second as she and his nephew aided his other nephew and the twins in slaying the orcs that greeted them, that fire exhibited in battle brightening her pale blue irises before she tore her gaze away to swing her bow like a club right into the snarling maw of a tall orc to knock it back only for the younger prince to gut the stunned beast.

Soon the orcs that had been stationed on the tower flat were scattered around them with some with their heads having been lopped clean off.

Her breath came out in a semi-translucent huff as Eäriel brushed loose locks of her hair from her face and back over her right shoulder, her gaze looking to her comrades to see all were intact, before she looked over to the second tower with the frozen river between them as a thick fog loomed around the seven. "Do you see anything?" She asked of her siblings as the younger approached the lip of the flat to scan the area.

"No, there's nothing." Elladan informed over his shoulder even as his brow furrowed when he squinted a little to see there was no sign of life on the second tower.

"Maybe Azog has fled…?" Kili wondered at large.

Thorin shook his head, "I don't think that's the case…" He looked away from the tower to his nephews near him, "Fili, take your brother and scan the second tower. Stay low, both of you and report back if you see anything… Above all, don't do anything stupid." He ordered, receiving two nods from his nephews.

"Thorin, we've got company!" Elrohir declared as he broke away from looking over the low wall further away from the flat.

Dwalin chimed in as he had also gone to scout with the elf, "Goblin mercenaries, no more than a hundred." He sent a scowl at the low wall as the older ellon retreated to his sister's side.

Thorin nodded and clapped a hand on Fili's shoulder, "go!" He sent both princes away as he flexed his grasp on his sword's handle.

Eäriel and Elrohir shared a brief look as the princes left the flat before they resorted to their respective weapons.

As predicted, the small host of goblins came clambering over the wall and soon converged on the five who greeted them with their blades brandished, hacking and slicing the little monsters with ease until they were taken care of.

He wiped a bit of goblin blood from his cheek before looking to the second tower across the way and frowned, "They haven't returned yet…" He said as he glanced to his sister.

Eäriel yanked her knife free of its place in a now-dead goblin's brain, looking to her brother before movement nearby stole her attention away, and she looked on their former burglar with a sigh of relief. "You fool!" She breathed as she threw her arms around her friend and squeezed when he wheezed a protest, to which she drew back to add with a wry chuckle, "You brave little fool."

" **Bilbo**!" Elladan and Elrohir beamed in unison.

"What're you doing here?" Thorin asked, just as surprised and relieved to see the hobbit present as the elves, watching him shirk away from her arms to slightly double and regain his breath.

Bilbo looked up at hearing his question and he answered, "There's another army of orcs, coming in from the north! This tower will soon be overrun…" He trailed off at the paled expressions of the five.

"Gundabad…" Elrohir grumbled with a hardened edge in his voice.

"This was a trap from the beginning…!" Dwalin growled in anger.

Elladan looked to the second tower before his sister, "Fili and Kili, we must call them back!" He said sharply.

"Dwalin, call them back." Thorin instructed, urging his old friend to do so when receiving a curious glance from him, and he looked to the tower, "We'll live to fight another day…" Added the dwarf.

Eäriel frowned worriedly as she looked to the tower before her sharp ears heard the ominous and low sound of drums being rhythmically pounded from the depths of the second tower, and both Elladan and Elrohir looked to the second tower at hearing the drums, until their beating gained strength so all six companions were looking to the top of the tower where there was an opened wall.

Movement came out from the fog of the third floor of the tower until the semi-translucent fog receded to show several figures standing there. Azog's pale, scarred face came into the bleak sunlight as the trio of elves noted he was dragging someone forward, until he growled out in Black Speech and held Fili up by the scruff of his jerkin.

"Fili!" Bilbo exclaimed quietly in horror.

" _Ready an arrow_." Eäriel ordered her brothers.

Elladan looked at her sharply, " _but what about Fili_ …"

" _Do as I say_." Eäriel instructed quietly, yet when he glanced at her, he could see her shoulders gave the slightest tremble.

Elrohir and Elladan obeyed her command while keeping their eyes locked on the pale orc.

"Go, _run!_ " Fili cried from his place.

" _Loose!_ " Eäriel shouted as both arrows flew up to hit Azog before she jumped from the flat to take on the visage of an eagle. The brown-feathered raptor gave a shrill cry as one arrow hit an orc on Azog's left whereas the second stabbed Azog in his right eye and she snatched the prince who had been dropped when the orc flinched in pain, her talons clinging to his scruff as she twisted about to retreat to the flat with a sharp flapping of her wings.

Both Fili and Eäriel hit the stone floor with a combined ' _oof'_ , giving the others a moment to sigh in relief at her quick thinking, before the former shook his head and stood to his feet with help from Dwalin as the latter straightened with little effort.

"Fili…" Thorin said in relief as he stepped forward to embrace his nephew, firmly clapping him on the back as they drew away, and he smiled at him. "Thank you." He nodded to his elleth even as she gave a quick nod in return.

"We've still got to find Kili," Fili pointed out as he accepted one of the long knives from the elleth and tested its weight in his gloved hand before looking to the second tower.

After leaving Bilbo and Dwalin to ensure the first tower's security, the odd group – Thorin, Fili, Eäriel and the twins—then crossed the frozen river to reach the other tower.

"Come on," Eäriel declared as she motioned Fili and her brothers after she and Thorin's lead, turning to rush up the small stone steps at top speed, only to hear a guttural snarl as an orc met her at the next turn of the steps. She ducked its would-be critical slash for her head, one of her daggers in hand as she sharply ripped the beast's neck open, as Thorin and the boys sidestepped the felled beast's body when it tumbled down the steps to the ice.

Thorin huffed slightly, "The four of you, find Kili… leave killing Azog to me." He instructed.

"Come on," Elrohir gave a quick bob of the head as he, Elladan and Fili rushed up the remaining stairs that led up to the first floor of the second tower and leaving the two to have a moment alone.

Eäriel returned her dagger to her vambrance before looking at Thorin as he took her hand in his, worry beginning to darken her blue eyes before she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Stay alive." Thorin ordered quietly as their eyes met again, watching warmth soften her eyes, before he urged she leave and he watched her turn to rush up the stairs prior to following her lead.

Sharp ears catching the sound of a struggle, the elleth drew the teal-glowing sword from its scabbard as she rushed into one of the stairwells where the boys were fighting against a dozen or so orcs that had been stationed there.

The burly orc snarled as it blocked the elleth's sharp swing for its head before disengaging the locked swords to give another snarl in Black Speech before its head was lopped cleanly from its neck and sent tumbling down the stairs. She sidestepped another orc that was punted away by the blonde dwarf, Hathelas singing as she caught the orc's countering lunge with her sword's blade stuck in its chest, and she yanked the blade free to let the beast fall before looking to her friend. "Could've warned me." She huffed, smirking at him, to which he returned the smirk.

"Is everyone all right?" Fili asked at large as he and Eäriel looked to the twins.

Elladan nodded, "Peachy… Still hate orcs, though."

"I might develop an allergy after this." Elrohir chimed with a disgusted look as he yanked his sword's blade from the skull of another unfortunate orc.

Eäriel huffed, "I think that makes four…" She looked away when hearing the familiar sound of swords clashing on one of the higher floors, and she beamed. "Kili!"

" _Kili!_ " Fili shouted as they raced up the stairs at top speed with hope having sprung to life in his chest at finding his brother alive before they heard the replying call from above.

Elladan yanked the blonde back by the scruff as a tall orc greeted them when they arrived on the next floor, as Elrohir chucked a knife at the beast so it fell back with the blade lodged in its forehead. "S' only fair that they try harder to kill us now, isn't it?" The older twin mused.

"Azog's sworn to wipe out the line of Durin, and I would imagine three elves in his way only irritates him further!" Eäriel declared as she caught another orc from reaching her brothers, punting the beast away by their briefly-locked blades before she beheaded the orc. She looked back at them and smirked, "Let's piss him off, shall we?"

Another dozen or so orcs then descended on them as the odd quartet began to pave their way through the beasts, hacking and slicing yet it seemed another half-dozen more had appeared and sought to avenge their fallen comrades.

Elrohir gave a grunt as he shoved the tall orc away, ducking when the same orc lunged at him again before it froze in place as a streak of auburn lashed out at its open back, sidestepping the beast as it fell down the steps behind him and he looked at the familiar elleth as she had seemed to appear from out of nowhere and dodged another orc's sharp swing before slashing its neck open with ease. "You two took your time, didn't you?" He asked with a relieved laugh.

" _Gwathel!_ " Eäriel chirped from fending off another orc that attempted to lash out at Fili who was fighting near her with Elladan, her right boot kicking the beast squarely in the chest long enough for her sword to swing and its head to fall to the stone with a light ' _thud'_.

Tauriel slashed the legs of the last tall orc, twisting around as the orc snarled at her to ram her right dagger into its forehead with a growl of her own, yanking the blade free to let the beast fall back. "And here I had feared we'd arrived too late… It's good to see your tenacity has yet to fail you, _Gwathel_." She returned, smirking at her fellow she-elf before accepting the quick embrace and giving a squeeze, nodding to her brothers.

"Is Legolas with you?" Elladan asked as he approached the two women.

"Yes, he went ahead to try and cut the new batch of orcs off from overrunning the towers. I came to see if you lot needed my aid." Tauriel replied with a soft huff towards her companion.

Eäriel chuckled slightly and rubbed a small splotch of blood from her left cheek, "We can discuss your true reason later, we've got to find him first though." She smiled sweetly when receiving a mild look from her friend, raising a brow at seeing she was missing her favored weapon. "Your bow, where is it?" She asked.

Tauriel's face slightly hardened and she glanced away to something behind her friend and finding interest in it before answering quietly, "Lord Thranduil broke it… for my insolence."

"For defending a people not of your race." Eäriel mused grimly, receiving a nod before she gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Be glad he didn't lock you up… Come on." She smiled on her.

A small smile fell on her pretty face as Tauriel nodded again, before she fell in step with her comrade as they ascended the next stairwell with the boys at their heels.

"Kili!" Fili called when they reached the next floor and were met with another half-dozen Gundabad orcs, sharply gutting the orc that had lunged at him, hearing his brother's call from the floor above. "You all right?" He called with relief.

"Kili!" Tauriel cried with a smile as she finished helping Elladan slay another burly pale orc.

" _Tauriel!?_ " The younger prince sounded shocked at hearing the second she-elf's voice.

"We're coming!" Eäriel said with a laugh as she drew away from gutting the last orc, looking at Fili and seeing the relief in his blue eyes before she led the way to the next landing at a jog, relief welling in her chest at managing to reunite with her friend and uniting the brothers again…

A loud snarl sounded as a tall orc advanced on the younger prince when she was first to the last floor, the latter having been gripping his right knee to his chest as he glowered up at the orc.

" _Kili!_ " Fili cried before watching Eäriel launch herself at the tall and ugly beast with a vicious swing of her sword at its open back, diverting the orc's attention from his injured brother.

Eäriel brandished her sword as the one-eyed orc snarled in Black Speech and turned to face her, her eyes steely before she flew at the orc with a growl, her sword and his crude metal club clashing with a resounding ' _klang'_. She drew back for a moment only to block as the orc growled and sent her on the defense, before she shoved him away with a grunt and allowed herself a few breaths of air. Her body froze for a second as those few seconds allowed him to see Fili and Elladan were carrying Kili away from the battle and he turned on them. "No!" She shot after him with Hathelas' blade glowing vibrantly. " **Move**!" She cried.

A sickening ' _shunk'_ sounded.

Panting slightly, Eäriel looked around the orc in which Hathelas' blade was sticking through his belly to the one who had stuck their dagger in his snarling maw to first spot the head of flaming auburn hair to the steely glare on her pretty face.

Both she-elves yanked their blades free of the now-dead orc that Tauriel recognized as Bolg from the river battle, letting the gutted beast fall to the stone floor with a muffled ' _thud'_ , and then their stares met for a moment before simultaneously giving a sigh of elation.

Elladan smiled wryly at both females, "Shame that tosspot couldn't settle with two Captains." He mused.

Eäriel refrained from rolling her eyes and instead looked to the frozen river where the sounds of a skirmish still going on were carried by the chilled breeze that tugged at loose locks of her hair, her shoulders slumping with an exhale. "I'm entrusting you all to stick together; find the Company… I must help Thorin." She instructed as she faced her friends, her family, while sheathing Hathelas.

"You can't go on your own, Eäriel… Not if there are more orcs." Kili declared as he stood with Fili's help while favoring his leg.

"At this point, not even Sauron could think to get in my way… Stay safe, all of you." Eäriel stated firmly before she strode past them down the steps and left the flat.

 **|} x {|**

Stumbling slightly as the slab of ice he was on threatened to turn over into the river, Thorin righted himself for a second only to duck low as Azog's swinging boulder sought to catch where his head would've been, looking at the pale beast who snarled as he tried to yank the stone from its place caught in the ice.

Azog snarled again as he started to swing the stone before an arrow streaked past him from a place behind the dwarf, causing the orc to freeze for a moment before glowering past his foe as his jagged teeth were revealed in a sneer.

Thorin looked over his shoulder when the arrow streaked past them and looked a second time as he looked on his elleth wielding her bow. He didn't know whether to be relieved to see her here or to demand her to not interfere as this was his battle… Why was she so tenacious? "Stay out of this, Eäriel!" He ordered, turning out of the way of Azog's stone that threatened to hit him again.

Right, like if she was going to start listening to him. Looking on the two as Azog's stone got stuck in the cracked ice, Eäriel began to nock another arrow when the familiar shrill cries of eagles caught her ear. She looked up at the bleak-skied day as the eagles that had helped them on the cliffside came into view and flew past the river to lay waste to the second army of orcs that slowly bled onto the valley… She grinned at the imminent sign that this war was already won. "Bless you, Gwaihir." She murmured.

She almost laughed at the dumbstruck expression on Azog's face as Thorin had chosen that moment to toss the stone at his enemy and step off of the broken slab of ice, watching with a measure of surprise as the pale orc slipped down under the frozen surface with the slab that turned over, before the slab righted itself as Thorin lifted Orcrist from the safer part of the ice. The beginnings of a smile fell from her face as Thorin slowly followed the supposedly-felled Azog's course that kept with the current.

"Thorin…" She called anxiously as he ignored her, to which she quickly nocked her arrow and readied to fire… Eäriel slightly jumped when Azog burst forth from beneath the ice and caught Thorin by the foot in the process before knocking him down, and she drew the bowstring back even though she had half a right mind to throw her dagger right for that beast's fat skull instead as Azog's scimitar that had been blocked by Orcrist slowly bore down on the dwarf's torso.

Gritting his teeth as he glowered into his foe's good blue eye while their connected blades threatened to tip in his foe's favor, Thorin risked a fleeting glance over at the riverbank where Eäriel stood ready to fire an arrow, and he knew that if he didn't kill Azog now, she would die, and he would be damned before he let her die first… But at the same time, she would _not_ like what he was going to do.

 _Forgive me, Eäriel_ … Relinquishing his defenses, Thorin gave a pained gasp when Azog's scimitar stabbed into his left lung.

" ** _NO_** _!_ " Eäriel cried as she let her arrow fly, watching with satisfaction as the projectile rammed itself into Azog's skull and Thorin took that chance to turn the tables to stab Orcrist's blade into his foe's heart. She watched with a measure of relief as Azog breathed his last before death took him, lowering her bow when Thorin straightened up from his kill and wobbled a bit before righting his footing, releasing the breath she had subconsciously drawn in as the dwarf looked over the edge of the falls to the battlefield beyond them that had since silenced… _It was over_.

Thorin let his eyes rest on the remains of the hard and bloodied battle before giving a strangled exhale as his feet then gave way under him, and he was ready to hit the cold ice of the river if he was not caught in a familiar pair of arms. He looked up at the owner of the arms for his blue eyes to lock on her paler blue irises, and he flinched slightly as a tight cough escaped him before she shushed him, looking up at his beautiful she-elf again. "I had to do it, because he would have surely killed you in his vengeance… Forgive me, Eäriel." He breathed, relaxing as she brushed disheveled strands of hair from his dirtied forehead and face, distinctly seeing tears congregate in her eyes that she stubbornly held at bay. "Are the boys…?" He started to ask.

"They're safe, everyone is safe… Thorin, if only I had come sooner…" Eäriel sniffed and glanced away, looking down at him as he lifted a hand to touch her cheek, the tears in her eyes threatening to fall as she watched his eyes slowly begin to darken. " _Mell nîn_ …"

"My only wish is to see you happy and free as you deserve, away from this pain and despair… I never said it in the past because I did not trust you as I do now, but I love you and I always have, Eäriel… I want you to be happy, because you are brighter and worth more than all the gold in Erebor when you are happy… _Amrâlimê_." Thorin cracked a smile that tugged at the short beard on his rugged face as his eyes softened even though a lone tear trickled down her cheek.

Before she could say his name again, the she-elf looked up at hearing a shuffling of feet on stone and watched Bilbo bring himself to a halt feet away as if he was hesitant to interrupt their moment, and she sniffed. "Bilbo." She nodded slightly as Thorin looked at where she had let her gaze stray to.

Bilbo approached the couple and crouched at the dwarf's right side. "Thorin…" He began.

* * *

 _ **an** : pretty sure this is the last rendition of the Hobbit that i will cover, but don't write me off yet! there's an epilogue to read.. :)_


	19. Epilogue

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* * *

In the dimness of the large tomb, the candles amber glow highlighted those who had come and gathered to say farewell to the king.

His eyes were shut and his hair and beard looked brown in the glow of the candles, and the glimmering Arkenstone lay on his chest with his gloved hands having been placed to hold it there, yet he looked as if he were sleeping.

Closing her eyes for a moment to will the sympathetic tears to go away, Tauriel looked to the ten dwarves as they said their silent goodbyes to their leader, before she looked to the two dwarf princes who stood to the side alongside their mother. She looked to the odd trio nearby, Radagast and Gandalf and Beorn, who stood solemn with empathy in their darkened eyes, before lastly looking to those with her; Legolas stood silent at her left, and Elladan and Elrohir stood much the same with Eäriel between them, her eyes shut and head tilted down as if in prayer to the gods, but Tauriel knew better than to dismiss the slightest tremor in the other elleth's shoulders.

Eäriel who had followed her sense of honor to her father and to her heart, Eäriel who had forsaken everything to follow her friends to whatever end… Eäriel who loved the dwarf king with all she had and yet was cheated by fate.

And then a noise softly spilled into the grim air, a noise Tauriel had not heard in what felt like a millennia, as she looked to the second elleth whose eyes had opened and were looking to the sleeping king.

" _I see fire burning the trees,_

 _I see fire hollowing souls,_

 _and I see fire burn auburn on the mountain side…_

 _And I hope that you remember me._ _"_

Eäriel glanced at Tauriel as she had heard her join in, and a small faint smile tugged at her lips, before she closed her eyes again and exhaled.

 **|} x {|**

"Why did you stay?"

Legolas perked up a smidge at hearing her voice, and looked on his friend as she had slipped away from the party to seemingly find time alone, and he paused to answer her question when noticing the lone braid in her mane of hair that draped over her left shoulder. He exhaled slightly as she sat down with him to look over the gold below them. "I may not have gotten along with him, but I did hold respect for him and a bit of envy at first… It would have been rude if I had left before the coronation." He answered.

Eäriel smiled faintly before she also exhaled and let her legs dangle over the edge, "Thank you for staying… Fili will make a great king, I know he will… Although I might apologize for the fact that Tauriel will be lingering in the castle to secure that Kili's leg will mend swiftly." She looked to the emerald hue of the stone walls as her eyes softened. "I am happy for her." She murmured.

Legolas noted the softening in her eyes and a smile began to creep onto his features, before he let a pocket of companionable silence fall between them. She did not dare mention her king lest she begin to grieve once again, and he dared not mention anything along those lines for the fact that he hated to see her weighed down when he could not do a thing about it… He momentarily loathed Oakenshield for having left her brokenhearted. He exhaled again. "My father wishes for me to seek out the Dunédain, one of their Rangers in particular… And I am not entirely sure why." He said quietly.

"He doesn't want you to return home, then?" Eäriel wondered curiously, also rather confused on the enigmatic errand.

"I told him that I am not going back… Not yet, anyway." Legolas replied, looking at her as both sets of blue eyes met, earning her already-lifted brow to rise into her hairline before he continued, "I doubt you wish to return to Rivendell anytime soon, either." He could only imagine what Elrond would say to not just her but the twins for having run off the way they had.

Eäriel allowed a small smirk to hedge her lips at what he was implying, "Are you requesting my presence on this quest of yours, old friend?" She wondered.

"Only to make it bearable." Legolas huffed as he glanced away for a moment only to look at her again as she shook her head a smidge. "I would not ask just anyone to accompany me, you know." He added.

Happy and free… Eäriel supposed one would be easier to obtain than the other. "Then make it bearable I shall." She agreed.

Perhaps this small quest would be more than ' _bearable'_.

* * *

 _ **an** : i didn't mention it in the previous an but i sincerely apologize for the lack of an update for this story, i've had school to deal with and then things at home and of course my RH fic too... anyway, another thing i need to mention is that the sequel for this is currently being edited, still the same title and category. and with that i must thank those of you who've faved and followed this story, i can't thank you guys enough. until next time! :)_


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